As she celebrates her 43rd birthday on 9 January, surrounded by her loved ones, the Princess of Wales finds herself in a very different place to where she was a year ago.
Days before undergoing major surgery and a prolonged stay in hospital, which eventually led to a diagnosis of cancer, Kate could not have predicted how her world was about to change.
Fast-forward to 2025 and she will be approaching her big day with a newfound appreciation for life, according to royal experts, who also predict that she will soon be back at her husband the Prince of Wales's side as the couple take on a more prominent role on the world stage.
With the King continuing his own treatment for cancer, both Kate and Prince William are no doubt mindful of their future roles as King and Queen.
Meanwhile, William's growing worldwide stature means he will be increasingly called upon to represent the monarch and the UK overseas, as seen in December when he stood in for his father at the official reopening of Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris, where he met US President-elect Donald Trump.
"Last year was an exceptional year, and William stepped up into a solo global-statesman role, but going forward, I think Catherine will spend more time at his side," Kate’s biographer Robert Jobson tells HELLO!.
Doing their duty
"They will both be mindful of their children's education and will make sure they're around if anything crucial happens, but there will be situations where they have to put the country and duty before their children," he says.
"Once Trump becomes President, there will be another state visit, and William and Catherine will play a key role, just as the King did the last time, when the late Queen was alive. This is all part of William becoming a global figure."
Although the Princess has been able to put much of her challenging experience behind her, carrying out some public engagements in recent months, sources say she is continuing to focus on her health and her family.
"What we saw last year was her prioritising her recovery, and there hasn't been a step-change in that," a friend tells HELLO! "There’s no press of a reset button as such."
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