the biography of kate middleton

Who is Princess Kate? Age, family, what to know about Princess of Wales amid cancer news

Princess Kate announced she is undergoing chemotherapy to treat cancer that was discovered after her surgery.

In recent weeks, the royal family has been scrutinized by the public after the Princess of Wales seemingly disappeared from the public's eye. After altered photos of her were released by the royal family, conspiracy theories spread and took the internet by storm.

However, in a video, Kate announced on Friday that she was undergoing treatment to treat her cancer, which was discovered during her "major abdominal" surgery.

The princess said her medical team recommended she start chemotherapy and she is now in the early stages of that treatment.

"This of course came as a huge shock and William and I have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family," said Kate in the video .

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Kate Middleton video: Watch Princess' full announcement of cancer diagnosis

Who is Kate Middleton?

Princess Kate , 42, was born Catherine Elizabeth Middleton. She is the Princess of Wales.

Who is Princess Kate married to?

She is married to Prince William, the Prince of Wales. He is the son of King Charles III and Princess Diana.

When did she marry Prince William?

She married the prince on April 29, 2011 , at Westminster Abbey.

How many children does Princess Kate have?

The princess has three children with Prince William.

• George, 10 years old
• Charlotte, 8 years old
• Louis, 5 years old

When did the princess discover she had cancer?

The princess discovered she had cancer after she underwent abdominal surgery in January. She says when she underwent surgery, they thought her condition was noncancerous, however tests revealed there was some cancer present.

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Catherine (HRH The Princess of Wales)

Article by Carolyn Harris

Published Online May 28, 2015

Last Edited September 9, 2022

Kate is the first woman from a “middle class” background to marry a direct heir to the British throne since 1660, when the future King James II married Anne Hyde. Her father, Michael Middleton, was a flight dispatcher at London’s Heathrow Airport, while her mother, Carole Goldsmith, was a flight attendant. The Middletons founded their own mail-order children’s party supply business, Party Pieces, in 1987.

Kate’s paternal grandfather, Peter Middleton, served in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War , including two years of training at No. 37 Service Flying Training School in Calgary , Alberta (now part of the Calgary International Airport). Her paternal great-grandmother, Olive Lupton, was a member of the wealthy Lupton family, woolen manufacturers and members of the landed gentry from Leeds. The Lupton family trust would fund the private education of Kate and her siblings.

Early Life and Education

Catherine Elizabeth Middleton was born 9 January 1982 at the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading. She is the eldest of three children. Her sister, Philippa Charlotte, nicknamed Pippa, was born 6 September 1983; and her brother, James William, was born 15 April 1987. Kate spent part of her early childhood in Amman when her father’s work for British Airways moved the family to Jordan from 1984 to 1986. Upon their return to the United Kingdom, the family settled in Berkshire.

Kate began her education at an English-language nursery school in Amman, and then attended a series of private elementary and secondary schools in the United Kingdom. She completed her elementary education at St. Andrew’s School in Pangbourne, a village near Berkshire, boarding during the week from the age of nine. Kate attended Marlborough College boarding school in Wiltshire for her secondary education. Kate was active in sports throughout her childhood, particularly field hockey . After a gap year spent studying art at the British Institute in Florence, Italy, and volunteering in Chile, Kate enrolled at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland in 2001. She completed an undergraduate Master of Arts in the history of art with second-class honours in 2005. Her senior thesis examined the photography of Lewis Carroll, author of Alice in Wonderland .

Relationship with Prince William

William and Kate both attended the University of St. Andrews and became friends when they were enrolled in the art history program. Kate became one of William’s flatmates during his second year of university; they lived in the same houses for the remainder of their degrees, allowing their relationship to begin away from media scrutiny. They began dating in 2003, but their relationship only became public knowledge in 2004. After they completed their degrees at St. Andrews, Kate moved to London where she worked as an accessories buyer for the Jigsaw clothing chain in 2006–07, and as a catalog designer and photographer for the Middleton family business until 2011. William and Kate briefly separated in 2007, but soon reconciled, which prompted intense popular speculation regarding when they would marry.

William and Kate became engaged while traveling in Kenya in October 2010. On 16 November 2010, Clarence House announced the engagement. The 29 April 2011 wedding combined traditional and modern elements. The royal couple customized the interior of Westminster Abbey, adding eight 20-foot trees to the nave for the ceremony. Wedding guests included numerous friends of the couple as well as foreign royalty, Commonwealth heads of government and governors general. Kate’s family had prominent roles in the ceremony. Michael gave the bride away, Pippa was maid of honour and James read a lesson.

There was widespread popular interest in Kate’s choice of wedding dress, which remained secret until the ceremony. The dress was designed by Sarah Burton, creative director of Alexander McQueen, and was ivory satin with lace appliquéd on to silk tulle by the Royal School of Needlework. The design was similar to the wedding dress worn by actress Grace Kelly for her wedding to Prince Rainier III of Monaco in 1956. Kate’s wedding dress was displayed at Buckingham Palace during the summer of 2011.

Instead of a gift registry, the couple encouraged the guests to donate to a charity from a recommended list. Governor General David Johnston represented Canada at the wedding and subsequent reception at Buckingham Palace. The governor general also provided the funding for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge Award, a one-time scholarship at the University of Waterloo established in honour of the marriage. Prime Minister Stephen Harper donated $50,000 to the Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary “on behalf of all Canadians” in honour of the wedding, and presented the royal couple with a personal gift of outdoor camping gear.

A few hours prior to the ceremony, the Queen bestowed the titles of Duke of Cambridge, Earl of Strathearn and Baron Carrickfergus on Prince William. Kate was therefore styled Duchess of Cambridge, Countess of Strathearn and Baroness Carrickfergus rather than Princess William, as she would otherwise have been known. (She would not have gone by her given name, since only princesses born into the royal family are styled Princess followed by their given names).

2011 Canadian Tour

William and Kate toured Canada, their first royal tour as a married couple, in late June and early July 2011. The wedding and subsequent royal tour contributed to a resurgence of popular interest in the monarchy in Canada, after decades of comparative decline. Coverage of tour events on social media introduced a new generation to the royal family.

The tour, which included time in Ottawa , Montréal , Québec City , Charlottetown , Summerside , Yellowknife and Calgary , combined traditional and modern elements. In common with previous royal tours of Canada, William and Kate celebrated Canada Day on Parliament Hill , attended military reviews, and visited charities. The couple also demonstrated their athletic interests, racing each other in dragon boats on Dalvay Lake, Prince Edward Island .

They also took the time for lengthy conversations with Canadians from all walks of life. Kate was especially praised for her warmth toward six-year-old cancer patient Diamond Marshall, who greeted her with flowers and a hug in Calgary. Kate’s fashions also attracted intense public interest, and she was praised for incorporating Canadian colours and symbols into her wardrobe, particularly her attire for Canada Day on Parliament Hill — a white dress with a maple leaf brooch and a red hat with maple leaf embellishments.

In December 2012, Buckingham Palace announced that Kate was expecting her first child. The news was made public very early in the pregnancy because Kate had to be hospitalised for hyperemesis gravidarum, a condition characterized by severe nausea and dehydration. Prince George of Cambridge (now of Wales) was born at St. Mary’s hospital on 22 July 2013.

In Canada, the arrival of the royal baby was marked by the issue of commemorative coins by the Royal Canadian Mint . The Canadian government sent George a handcrafted blanket and donated $100,000 to a Canadian children’s charity.

George’s birth impacted Canadian baby name trends. While George was the 127th most popular name for Canadian boys in 2011, it became the 36th most popular in 2014.

In September 2014, there was once again an early pregnancy announcement. The royal couple’s second child, Princess Charlotte of Cambridge (now of Wales), was born on 2 May 2015. Their third child, Prince Louis of Cambridge (now of Wales), was born on 23 April 2018.

William and Kate are actively involved in the upbringing of their children and employ fewer nursery staff than previous generations of the royal family. George accompanied them on their 2014 tour of Australia and New Zealand.

Public Image

Kate has been praised for her role in modernizing the monarchy through her public image. In contrast to the late Diana, Princess of Wales, and William ’s cousins, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, Kate has chosen simpler, more accessible styles that women from various social backgrounds can emulate. According to Newsweek , "The Kate Effect may be worth £1 billion to the UK fashion industry," as women emulate her fashions from coat dresses to wedge heels.

Kate’s fashions showcase the work of designers from the United Kingdom and wider Commonwealth , including Canadians. On her second wedding anniversary, Kate wore a peach coat by Canadian-born designer Tara Jarmon. During her Canadian tour, Kate wore fashions by Montréal -born designer Erdem and chose an Erdem summer dress for a public engagement while she was expecting George.

Although popular public figures, William and Kate have been determined to carve out a private life for themselves and their children; in comparison to other royals, they have also streamlined their household. After their wedding, the royal couple resided in a farmhouse in Anglesey while William worked as a search-and-rescue pilot. Besides protection officers, the couple only employed a cleaner, and Kate was often seen shopping in local grocery stores. When the royal couple visited Canada in 2011, they traveled with a household of only seven people; far fewer than previous royal visits. Kate did not travel with a dresser or lady-in-waiting as was customary in the past.

When William left the air force in 2013, the couple moved to London and embarked upon a more public life. Kate oversaw an extensive renovation of the couple’s apartment at Kensington Palace, which prompted criticism in the British press. Shortly after Princess Charlotte, their second child, was born, the family relocated to Anmer Hall on the royal Sandringham Estate in Norfolk. Privacy and William’s new job with the East Anglian Air Ambulance were cited as reasons for the move. The royals ordered an extensive tree-planting program at Sandringham and police distributed letters to the media requesting privacy.

As a well-known public figure, Kate’s public image has been critiqued by a variety of journalists and authors. The British press have critiqued Kate’s schedule of royal engagements, criticising her for not undertaking as many public appearances and charitable patronages as other members of the royal family.

However, Kate’s many fans have responded with fury to critiques (perceived or real) of the Duchess’s (later, Princess's) style or personality. In a 2013 public lecture, Hilary Mantel, author of historical novel Wolf Hall , described Kate as someone who “appeared to have been designed by a committee and built by craftsmen, with a perfect plastic smile and the spindles of her limbs hand-turned and gloss-varnished.” The comment, which was in fact part of a plea for media to be more sympathetic to Kate and the royal family, prompted outrage among Kate’s fans.

Author Margaret Atwood caused a similar controversy in 2015, when she commented that, “I don’t think she’s become the fashion plate that Diana was, and I think she’s probably doing that advisedly.” Like Mantel, Atwood made the comment during a public lecture, in this case a talk at the Victoria and Albert Museum on the subject of clothing. The comment, which was taken out of context, was condemned by Kate’s admirers in Canada and the United Kingdom.

Philanthropy

In 2011, William , Kate and William’s brother, Prince Harry , established The Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry, which focuses on three main causes: supporting the armed forces, conservation and young people. In 2012, Kate assumed four charitable patronages: Action on Addiction, East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices, The Art Room and the National Portrait Gallery. In 2013, Kate became patron of Place2Be, SportsAid and the Natural History Museum. In 2014, Kate became patron of the 1851 Trust, which creates opportunities for young people of diverse backgrounds to learn sailing . In 2018, she became the first royal patron of the Victoria and Albert Museum. In 2022, she became patron of the Rugby Football Union and Rugby Football League in England, patronages once held by Prince Harry. Kate has also promoted compassionate palliative care for terminally ill children as well as treatment and resources for children with mental illnesses . In total, Kate is patron of more than 20 charities.

2016 Tour of Canada

From 24 September until 1 October 2016, Catherine toured British Columbia and the Yukon with William and their children. The couple were based at Government House in Victoria (with the exception of an overnight stay in Whitehorse ) to enable them to spend evenings with their children after public engagements during the day.

As Duchess of Cambridge (now of Wales), one of the key focuses of Catherine’s philanthropy has been the welfare of children and families, interests that were reflected in the public engagements on the tour. In Vancouver , Catherine and William visited the Sheway Pregnancy Outreach Program in the Downtown Eastside for mothers dealing with substance addiction. Catherine, William and their children also attended a garden party at Government House for military families, where George and Charlotte enjoyed pony rides and balloon animals with other children. Like William, Catherine has a strong interest in youth athletics and the couple attended an exhibition volleyball game at UBC Okanagan, and a demonstration of mountain bike skills by Single Track to Success at Montana Mountain in Carcross, Yukon. They also sailed on a tall ship in Victoria Inner Harbour with the Sail and Life Training Society, and traveled by Haida canoe in Haida Gwaii .

Catherine showcased the work of Canadian fashion designers during the tour. In Haida Gwaii, she wore a jacket designed by the Canadian company, Smythe. In Bella Bella, Catherine wore gold kite-shaped earrings by Montréal -born jewellery designer Pippa Small. Throughout the tour, Catherine’s fashion incorporated Canadian colours and imagery, including a maple leaf brooch worn by Queen Elizabeth (the Queen Mother) during her 1939 tour of Canada with King George VI.

The 2016 tour was well received and the royal couple were praised for taking the time to engage with Canadians from all walks of life, for introducing their children to Canada, and raising awareness of Canadian institutions and philanthropic organizations. In honour of the tour, Prince Minister Justin Trudeau donated $50,000 to the Prince’s Charities Canada to promote education in Indigenous communities and $50,000 to the Immigrant Services Society of British Columbia to help new arrivals to Canada with housing, employment and language skills.

Princess of Wales

Queen Elizabeth II died on 8 September 2022, making William’s father, Charles , the King. William became first in line to the throne, and he and Catherine assumed the title of the Duchy of Cornwall. They were also subsequently named the Prince and Princess of Wales.

Interested in the monarchy?

Royal Family

Further reading.

Christina Blizzard, Young Royals on Tour: William and Catherine in Canada (2011); Robert Jobson, The New Royal Family: Prince George, William and Kate, The Next Generation (2013), Katie Nicholl, Kate: The Future Queen (2013).

A Guide to Kate Middleton's Family Tree

Get to know the Princess of Wales's family.

Every item on this page was chosen by a Town & Country editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy.

Kate's dad: Michael Middleton

Michael Francis Middleton (b. June 23, 1949) grew up in Leeds. He attended Clifton College, then the University of Surrey. After, he worked as a flight dispatcher for British Airways.

His mother, Valerie Middleton (née Glassborow) (b. 1924, d. 2006), was a volunteer nurse and code-breaker during World War II, and his father, Captain Peter Middleton (b. 1920, d. 2010) was a RAF fighter pilot. In fact, Peter even flew alongside Prince Philip in 1962. Peter's mother, Olive Lupton, was part of the Lupton family , a prominent family beginning in Tudor-era Britain. Valerie and Peter had four boys, including Michael. His brothers are named: Richard Middleton (b. 1947), Simon Middleton (b. 1952), and Nicholas Middleton (b. 1956).

Kate's mom: Carole Middleton

Kate's mom was born Carole Goldsmith (b. January 31, 1955) to Dorothy Goldsmith (née Harrison) (b. 1935, d. 2006) and Ronald Goldsmith (b. 1931, d. 2003). She has one brother, Gary Goldsmith . Her dad's family comes from coal miners, and her dad Ronald worked as a builder. Her mom, Dorothy, worked in a jewelry school. Carole intended to be a teacher, but her parents couldn't afford to put her through college. She started working as a secretary for British Airways, and eventually became a flight attendant, when she met Michael Middleton. In 1987, she launched Party Pieces , a party goods company, but in 2023, she sold the business .

Catherine, Princess of Wales

Kate: Grace Under Pressure

The eldest of Carole and Michael Middleton's children, Kate was born Catherine Elizabeth Middleton (b. January 9, 1982). Kate attended St Andrew's School, then Downe House School and Marlborough College. After, she took a gap year and enrolled at the University of St Andrews, where she met her future husband, Prince William (b. June 21, 1982). ( Read a timeline of Kate and William's relationship here .) After many years of dating, the two would eventually tie the knot in a grand royal wedding in 2011. Upon her marriage to William, she became known as Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge. Following the death of Queen Elizabeth, she became Catherine, Princess of Wales .

Kate and William have three children: Prince George (b. July 22, 2013), Princess Charlotte (b. May 2, 2015), and Prince Louis (b. April 23, 2018). All three children follow their father in the line of succession to the British throne .

Kate's sister: Pippa Matthews

Carole and Michael's middle child was born Pippa Charlotte Middleton (b. September 6, 1983). Like her older sister, Pippa attended Marlborough College. She then went onto study at the University of Edinburgh, and worked in PR before joining Party Pieces. She's also written two books, Celebrate: A Year of Festivities for Families and Friends (2012), and Heartfelt (2016).

In 2017, Pippa wed James Matthews (b. August 21, 1975), heir to the Laird of Glen Affric. ( More on James Matthews here. ) They have three children, Arthur Matthews (b. October 15, 2018), Grace Matthews (b. March 15, 2021), and Rose Matthews (b. June 2022).

Kate's brother: James Middleton

The youngest of Carole and Michael's children is James William Middleton (b. April 15, 1987). Like Pippa, he went to Marlborough College and then University of Edinburgh, but he dropped out after a year. He's been an entrepreneur, starting "Cake Kit Company" which sold kits for buyers to create their own themed cakes; Boomf , a marshmallow company; and Ella & Co, a dog-food order company. Notably, he breeds dogs—both of Kate and William's dogs, Lupo and Orla were both gifts James.

In September 2021, he married Alizee Thevene , a financial analyst. In July 2023, James and Alizee shared they were expecting their first child , and they welcomed Inigo Middleton sometime in September or October 2023. In 2024, he announced he would be writing a memoir , Meet Ella: The Dog Who Saved My Life , set to publish in fall 2024.

Emily Burack (she/her) is the Senior News Editor for Town & Country, where she covers entertainment, culture, the royals, and a range of other subjects. Before joining T&C, she was the deputy managing editor at Hey Alma , a Jewish culture site. Follow her @emburack on Twitter and Instagram .

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New Royal Exhibition Displays Poignant Portrait of Kate Middleton

A fter much anticipation, the Royal Portraits: A Century of Photography exhibition opened at the King’s Gallery in Buckingham Palace on Friday, May 17. The curated collection features previously unseen portraits of the royal family, alongside celebrated images that fans may be more familiar with.

Exhibition curator Alessandro Nasini has selected portraits by esteemed artists including Cecil Beaton, David Bailey, Annie Leibovitz, and Andy Warhol.

The exhibition features a poignant portrait of Kate Middleton, captured by Paolo Roversi and originally shared ahead of the royal’s 40th birthday in 2022. The ethereal black-and-white image sees Middleton displaying her side profile in a white, off-the-shoulder Alexander McQueen gown. The accessories are kept to a minimum, with pearl-drop earrings and her blue sapphire, diamond encrusted engagement ring that famously once belonged to Princess Diana. Middleton adopts a royal-favorite pose, remaining seated and staring into the distance.

When the image was initially released in 2022, alongside two other portraits in honor of Middleton’s birthday, it entered a collection belonging to London's National Portrait Gallery, of which she is a patron.

Delighted to share a new portrait of The Duchess ahead of her 40th birthday tomorrow. This is one of three new portraits which will enter the permanent collection of the @NPGLondon , of which The Duchess is Patron. 📸 Paolo Roversi pic.twitter.com/55Z5qBMLaP — The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) January 8, 2022

The portrait of Middleton has often been compared to one painted over 150 years ago of Queen Alexandra, then the Princess of Wales. Captured by Franz Xaver Winterhalter, the painting shows Alexandra of Denmark in a billowing white gown with crystal blue adornments. Wearing a floral headdress, the royal is standing, but turned to the side ever so slightly.

The exhibition featuring Middleton comes as she continues to take time away from public-facing duties following her cancer diagnosis . In a video shared on March 22, the mum-of-three revealed she had started a course of “ preventative chemotherapy ” after being diagnosed with an undisclosed type of cancer following a planned abdominal surgery in January. During a recent royal engagement, Prince William said that his wife is “ doing well ” when asked by a concerned member of the public.

As for the royal exhibition, which is set to remain open on select days until Oct. 6, other notable images include a vibrant portrait, featuring bleached out details, of Queen Elizabeth II by Warhol . There is also a striking photograph of King Charles III, then the Prince of Wales, taken at Birkhall, his private residence in Scotland. Captured by Nadav Kander , the image was commissioned by TIME for the cover of its Nov. 4, 2013, magazine.

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New portrait of Kate Middleton draws strong reactions online

Kate did not sit for the portrait, which was commissioned by Tatler magazine.

A new portrait of Kate , the Princess of Wales, is drawing mixed reactions online, just one week after a portrait of her father-in-law, King Charles III , faced a similar response.

The portrait of Kate Middleton, the wife of Charles' eldest son, Prince William , was commissioned by Tatler magazine as part of a series of portraits of members of Britain's royal family. The portrait was unveiled Wednesday as the magazine's cover.

The magazine said the portrait was inspired by Kate's appearance in November 2022 at the first state banquet of Charles' reign, to which she wore a Jenny Packham gown, a bracelet belonging to the late Queen Elizabeth II , and drop earrings that belonged to the late Princess Diana .

Kate did not sit for the portrait of herself. Instead, the artist behind it, Hannah Uzor, a British-Zambian artist, sifted through over 189,000 photos of Kate to "capture her likeness," according to Tatler.

Describing her artistic process, Uzor said she tried to capture the "soul" of Kate in the painting.

"It's really important to capture the soul of the person, so I spent a lot of time looking at her and looking at her pictures, watching videos of her, seeing her with her family, seeing her in diplomatic visits, seeing her rowing or visiting children in a hospice," Uzor said in a video shared by Tatler on Instagram . "It has been really interesting for me to get a sense of who she is."

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Uzor said she went through multiple sketches to correctly capture Kate's expression and chose to paint her in the Jenny Packham gown because it was "physically striking."

"[It] made her look very regal and very confident," she said.

Uzor's work, though, received mixed reactions online, with many commenters arguing the portrait does not look like Kate, who has been out of the public eye since January, when she underwent surgery and later learned she had cancer .

Artist behind King Charles III's controversial portrait shares why he used the color red

"The painting is beautiful but does not look like the princess," wrote one commenter on Instagram.

"I don’t understand this painting. I don’t see a resemblance to the princess in any way," wrote another.

Kate Middleton: A timeline of her cancer diagnosis, surgery and absence from public duties

Other commenters compared the portrait to the one of Charles released last week, with one commenter writing, "Coming after the King Charles portrait debacle/ you’d think they’d make sure it was perfect."

The portrait of Charles , which stands over 6 feet tall, features a striking red background and shows Charles wearing the uniform of the Welsh Guards, of which he was made Regimental Colonel in 1975, according to Buckingham Palace.

Unlike the portrait of Kate, the portrait of Charles, commissioned to hang in London's Draper's Hall, was painted among four sittings with the king over the course of two years, according to the palace.

But in a similar manner, the portrait of Charles drew mixed reactions online quickly after its unveiling, at which both Charles and the artist, Jonathan Yeo, were present.

"I think this is beautiful and such a break from the traditional portraits," one commenter wrote on the palace's Instagram post about the portrait.

"I'm sorry but his portrait looks like he's in hell," wrote another commenter.

"I would have loved this if it was any other color than red," another commenter wrote. "He really captured the essence of him in the face, but the harshness of the red doesn't match the softness of his expression."

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Catherine Princess of Wales

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• Soundtrack ("For Those Who Can't Be Here")

• Additional Crew (as The Duchess of Cambridge)
• 2021 • 1 ep

• Self (as Catherine Duchess of Cambridge)
• 2018 • 2 eps

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Personal details

• Catherine Duchess of Cambridge
• 5′ 9″ (1.75 m)
• January 9 , 1982
• Reading, Berkshire, England, UK
• Prince William of Wales April 29, 2011 - present (3 children)
• Children Prince George of Wales
• Parents Michael Middleton
• Relatives Pippa Middleton (Sibling)
• 2 Biographical Movies
• 3 Portrayals
• 20 Articles
• 53 Magazine Cover Photos

Did you know

• Trivia She is expected to become the first British or English queen consort who is a university graduate.
• Quotes I'm still very much Kate.
• Trademarks Nude platform shoes
• Duchess of Smiles
• The Children's Princess
• How old is Catherine Princess of Wales?
• When was Catherine Princess of Wales born?
• Where was Catherine Princess of Wales born?

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Kensington Palace Shares Update About Kate Middleton

By Kase Wickman

Though Kate Middleton remains the “driving force” behind the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood and its related Business Taskforce, according to Kensington Palace, she won't be returning to work anytime soon.

Catherine, Princess of Wales, shared in March that she has been diagnosed with an unspecified form of cancer, and that she is undergoing medical treatment including preventative chemotherapy. Her task force , which underscores the importance of the early childhood years and aims to bring about lasting societal change by giving kids a strong start in life, published a new report Tuesday calling for businesses to invest more in children’s early years through employee support including flexible working hours for parents or assistance with childcare.

Though Kate has been briefed on the report and kept abreast of her foundation’s progress, “The princess is not expected to return to work until it’s cleared by her medical team,” a Kensington Palace spokesman told the BBC . “Early childhood will continue to be central to her public work.”

Prince William , her husband, recently said that Kate is doing “well” amidst her treatment.

Since announcing in January that she had undergone an abdominal procedure and later sharing that cancer had been found as a result of that unspecified surgery, Kate has asked for privacy and space for herself, William, and the family’s three children. The Wales family sat out the traditional Easter Sunday service in favor of spending private time together, a strong showing of Kate living out her own advice about present parenting.

Deloitte’s Emma Franklin , who worked on the newly released report, called out the importance of “parenting out loud” in the workplace, encouraging employees to keep boundaries like not replying to work messages during time off, and being open about the challenges that being a working parent can bring. Setting this example, the report outlines, can be a catalyst for generational change in the future.

A representative for Kensington Palace did not immediately respond to Vanity Fair ’s request for comment.

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Prince William Says Kate Middleton Is 'Doing Well' and Shares Update on George, Charlotte and Louis

The Prince of Wales spoke about his family on his final day away

Janine Henni is a Royals Staff Writer for PEOPLE Digital, covering modern monarchies and the world's most famous families. Like Queen Elizabeth, she loves horses and a great tiara moment.

Suzanne Plunkett - WPA Pool/Getty

Prince William shared a positive update about his wife Kate Middleton , who is receiving cancer treatment, during his latest engagement at a hospital.

The Prince of Wales, 41, briefly spoke about Kate and their children Prince George , 10, Princess Charlotte , 9, and Prince Louis , 6, upon arrival at St. Mary's Community Hospital in the Isles of Scilly on Friday, May 10, when a staffer asked about his family.

"May I ask how Princess Kate is doing?" hospital administrator Tracy Smith asked in a video shared by Sky News .

"She's doing well, thank you," the royal replied.

"Lovely, and the children as well?" Smith asked.

"The children are very jealous that I'm here and that they're not here as well," William admitted.

The Isles of Scilly are known to be a favorite getaway for the Prince and Princess of Wales and their kids, and the royal couple has previously been spotted biking around Tresco. Vacationing on the isles off the southwest tip of England continues a tradition for William, as he spent time there as a boy with Princess Diana , King Charles and Prince Harry .

Ben Birchall-WPA Pool/Getty

"Will you bring them later in the year, maybe?" Smith continued, referring to the royal children, and Prince William mentioned that they might spend time there privately.

The island of St. Mary's welcomes about 100,000 visitors each year, and Prince William visited the local hospital to learn more the challenges of providing health care in an island setting and plans for a new integrated health and social care facility set to be built built on nearby land owned by the Duchy of Cornwall, the $1 billion estate he inherited upon the death of Queen Elizabeth in September 2022. William's visit to the Isles of Scilly began with a stop at St. Mary's Harbor, where he reportedly picked up pastries for Kate, George, Charlotte and Louis!

"What's selling quickest this morning?" the Prince of Wales asked at On the Quay cafe before buying five Cornish pasties, a savory local treat filled with beef and vegetables.

William also mentioned his children's envy that he was in the Isles of Scilly while speaking with well-wishers at the harbor. The royal revealed that he went for a morning swim and said he wished he could stay longer, but had to get home for his family.

"My family are very upset I'm here without them," he said, the Daily Mail reported. "The children will kill me if I don't go home later."

Friday marks the final leg of Prince William's two-day work trip to southwest England, his first such away since Princess Kate made the public announcement about her health on March 22. William cleared his calendar and postponed forward-facing engagements to be by his wife's side following her announcement, which may have been strategically timed to George, Charlotte and Louis' break from school.

Samir Hussein/WireImage

Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage? Sign up for our free Royals newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more!

King Charles' elder son has gradually resumed public duties after his kids were back in the classroom, but a close source tells PEOPLE that William is totally focused on his wife.

"William is prioritizing giving her all the time she needs to get better and the support, particularly to the children," a close source says in this week's exclusive cover story.

"For William, everything hinges on Kate's well-being," adds royal biographer Ingrid Seward, author of My Mother and I .

Related Articles

New Portrait of Kate Middleton Has Just Been Revealed—and the Internet Already Has Thoughts

The portrait was painted by british-zambian artist hannah uzor.

Just days after King Charles ’s fiery portrait was unveiled , which severely divided the internet , Tatler magazine just unveiled their cover model for the July 2024 issue, who is none other than Kate Middleton . 

The new portrait (painted by British-Zambian artist Hannah Uzor) shows the Princess of Wales, 42, standing against a sky-blue background while wearing an elegant white floor-length gown with an extravagant cape, a blue sash and a yellow pendant. Meanwhile, sitting on top of her head is a dazzling tiara—which was one of the late Princess Diana’s favorite tiaras to wear. 

In case you didn’t know, this is the same attire the royal mother of three wore to the king’s first state banquet in November 2022 . Though Princess Catherine (who is currently undergoing medical treatment for cancer ) wasn’t physically present for any sittings for the portrait, Uzor shared that she sifted through 189,000 photos of the princess to fully “capture her likeness,” according to Forbes . 

This latest cover comes after two members of the British royal family appeared on the magazine’s cover a few years back. The late Queen Elizabeth II was featured on Tatler’s July 2022 Platinum Jubilee cover and King Charles was featured on Tatler’s July 2023 Coronation cover. 

In the comments section of the post, some royally obsessed fans had, er, differing opinions about the cover art. One person wrote, “That doesn’t look like Kate [Middleton] at all,” while another fan commented, “This is not HRH The Princess of Wales. God knows who it is, but it is not HRH.”

Similar to the striking red portrait of the monarch, fans shared their contrasting thoughts on social media. In the comments section of the king’s Instagram post , one said, “I would have loved this if it was any other color than red. He really captured the essence of him in the face, but the harshness of the red doesn’t match the softness of his expression.”

Never-Before-Seen 1956 Portrait of King Charles and Sister Princess Anne as Children Unveiled

Stay up-to-date on every breaking royal family story by subscribing here .

Assistant Editor, News And Entertainment

A portrait of Princess Kate is drawing backlash. Is it really that bad?

The artist behind a new, much debated portrait of Catherine, Princess of Wales, probably knew she was wading into touchy territory when she took up a commission to paint one of the most closely watched people on the planet. In an interview with Tatler magazine, which commissioned the portrait for its July cover, artist Hannah Uzor noted that there are tens of thousands of photos of Princess Kate in the Getty Images archive, and before painting her, she intended to study as many as possible.

“I spent a lot of time looking at her, looking at her pictures, watching videos of her, seeing her with her family, seeing her diplomatic visits, seeing her when she’s rowing or visiting children at hospice,” the artist, who did not have access to the princess during the process, reflected in a video. Her portraits aim to capture “the soul of the person,” Uzor said.

But for many, the portrait resulting from that close study depicted neither the princess's soul, nor even her physical characteristics. In response to the painting - showing a calm-looking figure in a fluid white gown against a buoyant blue backdrop - several commenters asked, "Who is this?"

“The painting is beautiful but does not look like the princess,” one noted.

Others were more direct in their criticism, calling the piece “an insult” and “terrible.”

The July cover of the Princess of Wales is the latest in a series of portraits commissioned by Tatler. Each has heralded a new era within the Royal Family, celebrating the strength and dignity of those dedicating their life to public duty https://t.co/AyxCT262tY pic.twitter.com/M6K44s60GJ — Tatler (@Tatlermagazine) May 22, 2024

The royal family has not spoken publicly about the work and the artist did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

As a result of digital video and photography, the public has never been more intimately familiar with what public figures look like, so when a portrait of a person as globally famous as Catherine is released, the artist is invariably put in the hot seat. Uzor's portrait comes just days after a portrait of King Charles III drew its own round of criticism. It also recalls public fury at Amy Sherald's Michelle Obama portrait in 2018, which viewers similarly argued did not look like her.

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But with so much public critique centered on resemblance, it's worth asking if likeness is the right metric for evaluating portraiture. When we have seemingly endless photographic representations of people such as the princess, some say portraits can - and even should - have wider aspirations.

“Portraiture can be representational or abstract. There are no boundaries or limits,” Bree Pickering, the director of the National Portrait Gallery of Australia, said in an email. “Likeness is often something that audiences look for, but as we’ve seen recently, it can be the conversation that happens around the artwork that tells us the most about the times we live in.”

Pickering also notes that “portraiture shares a story from an artist’s point of view,” meaning that it tells viewers about the subject - but can also reveal the “broader social context in which it was created.”

Lisa Mansfield, an art historian who studies portraiture at the University of Adelaide, draws a parallel between Uzor’s portrait and Paul Emsley’s official portrait of the then-Duchess of Cambridge, “which was unveiled in 2013 to a disparaging chorus of disapproval.”

Such clashes between “artistic intention and audience perception reveal the disconnect between what a portrait is and what the world at large thinks a portrait of a princess should look like,” Mansfield wrote in an email, adding that in an age of social media and selfies, it’s “easy to overlook that a portrait is fundamentally a work of artful fiction” and “not a facsimile of the face or body.”

Contemporary artists have long taken creative liberties in depicting leaders. At the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, a rendering of John F. Kennedy by Elaine de Kooning is a blur of expressive green and yellows that add up to a flicker of a person, the result of the artist’s style and her subject’s restlessness during sittings. After his assassination, the artist, who painted JFK several times, reflected: “President Kennedy was never still. He slipped by us.”

Cherine Fahd, an artist and professor of visual communication at the University of Technology Sydney, wrote in an email that when looking at the Princess Kate portrait, questions like “Does the portrait provoke dialogue?” and “Does it reflect or challenge societal contexts?” are “better than ‘Does it look her?’”

Uzor, a Zambia-born British artist, describes her practice as “driven by her interest in history, particularly, diasporic culture and its manifestation in personal and public memory” in a bio on her website. Her work has engaged with race-related deaths in Britain since the coronation of the Queen Elizabeth II in 1953 and she’s painted Black figures who have been overlooked by history, most notably Queen Victoria’s goddaughter, Sarah Forbes Bonetta.

In the Tatler interview, Uzor said her portraits are “made up of layers of a personality, constructed from everything I can find about them.”

Fahd said that, looking at the portrait of Catherine, it’s more interesting to focus on “how a woman of color, as the artist, directs her gaze upon a monarch.”

“Historically, people of color have been objects of anthropological examination by the colonial and imperial subjects but here, the roles are reversed,” she said.

Royal portraits “are a trope,” she added, but “this artist seems to consciously reject that trope.”

Pippa Middleton

Who Is Pippa Middleton?

Pippa Middleton is a socialite and the younger sister of Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge. After graduating in 2008, Pippa worked at a public relations firm, then as an event planner in London. She married hedge fund manager James Matthews on May 20, 2017.

Middleton's parents met working for British Airways — Carole was a flight attendant, and Michael was first a flight attendant, then a flight dispatcher. In 1984, the couple moved to Amman, Jordan, where they were based briefly. In 1987, the Middleton family was back in England, living at Bradfield Southend in the county of Berkshire. Carole started a company called Party Pieces, selling decorations and accessories for children's parties. Middleton and her siblings got their first taste of the spotlight modeling for Party Pieces catalogs. Party Pieces went on to become a successful business.

Like her older sister, Middleton attended Britain's elite schools, first at St. Andrew's School in Pangbourne, then Downe House, a girls' boarding school, and then Marlborough College at Wiltshire. She was known as an organized and attentive student and the more outgoing of the Middleton sisters. Though they were reportedly bullied at times, Middleton was popular with her fellow students. Middleton studied English literature at the University of Edinburgh, where she mixed with the children of the dukes and earls — her group of friends was known as the "castle crew." She dated George Percy, the son of the Duke of Northumberland. Percy's family castle was used as Hogwarts castle in the Harry Potter films.

Rise to Fame

After graduating in 2008, Middleton worked at a public relations firm, then as an event planner in London. She was often spotted out at London's poshest nightclubs and on the arm of handsome young aristocrats.

It was Middleton's sister, Kate, who changed the family's fortunes for good. As a freshman at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, Kate befriended and began dating, a young Prince William.

As Britons paid close attention to the future king's romance, Middleton became a familiar face. Often spotted out shopping with her sister, or partying with the same group of people at London nightclubs, Middleton's good looks and sense of style earned her many fans, as well as critics. Dubbed the "wisteria sisters," Kate and Middleton were criticized for what some perceived as social climbing. Seen out and about frequently, Middleton became a paparazzi favorite.

Royal Wedding

The November 2010 announcement of the engagement of Prince William and Kate caused a national frenzy in Britain. Always close to her sister, Middleton reportedly helped Kate plan many of the details of the royal wedding and the reception.

Bridesmaid Dress

When the much-anticipated wedding took place at Westminster Abbey on April 29, 2011, many eyes were on the bride's younger sister — and Middleton, as the maid of honor, didn't disappoint. Dressed in a slinky white dress by Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen , Middleton held her sister's train and chatted with Prince Harry during the televised ceremony. Her beau, stockbroker and former cricketer Alex Loudon, sat beside her in the front row at the ceremony. The rave reviews of Middleton's dress — and her figure — rivaled the enthusiasm for the bride's gown.

Personal Life

Middleton has been romantically linked to George Percy, the son of the Duke of Northumberland, and J.J. Jardine Paterson, the son of a banking family. She dated hedge fund manager James Matthews in 2012. After their split, she dated banker Nico Jackson from 2013 to 2015.

When Middleton and Jackson ended their relationship, she and Matthews began dating again. On July 17, 2016, Middleton and Matthews announced their engagement and plans to marry in 2017. Matthews is the son of Scottish nobleman David Matthews, the Laird of Glen Affric, an honorary title his son will inherit. When he acquires the title, Middleton will receive the title Lady Glen Affric.

The couple married on May 20, 2017, at St. Mark’s Church in the village of Englefield, near Reading. Big sister, Prince William, Prince Harry and other notables like tennis star Roger Federer were in attendance. Her nephew and niece, Prince George and Princess Charlotte , were page boy and flower girl.

In April 2018, it was reported that Middleton and Matthews were expecting their first child. The mom-to-be confirmed the news in June with a column in the publication Waitrose Weekend , titled, "Exercising during pregnancy."

Middleton and Matthews welcomed their first child, son Arthur, on October 15, 2018, and daughter, Grace, on March 15, 2021.

QUICK FACTS

• Birth Year: 1983
• Birth date: September 6, 1983
• Birth City: Reading, Berkshire, England
• Birth Country: United Kingdom
• Gender: Female
• Best Known For: Pippa Middleton is best known as the younger sister of Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge.
• Astrological Sign: Virgo
• University of Edinburgh

We strive for accuracy and fairness.If you see something that doesn't look right, contact us !

CITATION INFORMATION

• Article Title: Pippa Middleton Biography
• Author: Biography.com Editors
• Website Name: The Biography.com website
• Url: https://www.biography.com/celebrities/pippa-middleton
• Access Date:
• Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
• Last Updated: April 14, 2021
• Original Published Date: April 3, 2014

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A portrait of Princess Kate is drawing backlash. Is it really that bad?

Hannah Uzor’s painting of Catherine, Princess of Wales, on the cover of Tatler had many asking, “Who is this?” But experts say likeness is not everything.

Key takeaways

Summary is AI-generated, newsroom-reviewed.

• Tatler magazine commissioned the portrait of Catherine, Princess of Wales, for its July cover,
• Artist Hannah Uzor said she aims to capture a subject’s “soul.”
• Critics questioned the portrait’s resemblance to Catherine, but others defended artistic freedom.

Did our AI help? Share your thoughts.

The artist behind a new, much debated portrait of Catherine, Princess of Wales, probably knew she was wading into touchy territory when she took up a commission to paint one of the most closely watched people on the planet. In an interview with Tatler magazine, which commissioned the portrait for its July cover, artist Hannah Uzor noted that there are tens of thousands of photos of Princess Kate in the Getty Images archive, and before painting her, she intended to study as many as possible.

“I spent a lot of time looking at her, looking at her pictures, watching videos of her, seeing her with her family, seeing her diplomatic visits, seeing her when she’s rowing or visiting children at hospice,” the artist, who did not have access to the princess during the process, reflected in a video . Her portraits aim to capture “the soul of the person,” Uzor said.

But for many, the portrait resulting from that close study depicted neither the princess’s soul, nor even her physical characteristics. In response to the painting — showing a calm-looking figure in a fluid white gown against a buoyant blue backdrop — several commenters asked, “Who is this?”

The Style section

“The painting is beautiful but does not look like the princess,” one noted.

Others were more direct in their criticism, calling the piece “an insult” and “terrible.”

The royal family has not spoken publicly about the work and the artist did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

As a result of digital video and photography, the public has never been more intimately familiar with what public figures look like, so when a portrait of a person as globally famous as Catherine is released, the artist is invariably put in the hot seat. Uzor’s portrait comes just days after a portrait of King Charles III drew its own round of criticism. It also recalls public fury at Amy Sherald’s Michelle Obama portrait in 2018, which viewers similarly argued did not look like her.

But with so much public critique centered on resemblance, it’s worth asking if likeness is the right metric for evaluating portraiture. When we have seemingly endless photographic representations of people such as the princess, some say portraits can — and even should — have wider aspirations.

“Portraiture can be representational or abstract. There are no boundaries or limits,” Bree Pickering, the director of the National Portrait Gallery of Australia, said in an email. “Likeness is often something that audiences look for, but as we’ve seen recently, it can be the conversation that happens around the artwork that tells us the most about the times we live in.”

Pickering also notes that “portraiture shares a story from an artist’s point of view,” meaning that it tells viewers about the subject — but can also reveal the “broader social context in which it was created.”

Lisa Mansfield, an art historian who studies portraiture at the University of Adelaide, draws a parallel between Uzor’s portrait and Paul Emsley’s official portrait of the then-Duchess of Cambridge, “which was unveiled in 2013 to a disparaging chorus of disapproval .”

Such clashes between “artistic intention and audience perception reveal the disconnect between what a portrait is and what the world at large thinks a portrait of a princess should look like,” Mansfield wrote in an email, adding that in an age of social media and selfies, it’s “easy to overlook that a portrait is fundamentally a work of artful fiction” and “not a facsimile of the face or body.”

Contemporary artists have long taken creative liberties in depicting leaders. At the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, a rendering of John F. Kennedy by Elaine de Kooning is a blur of expressive green and yellows that add up to a flicker of a person, the result of the artist’s style and her subject’s restlessness during sittings. After his assassination, the artist, who painted JFK several times, reflected : “President Kennedy was never still. He slipped by us.”

Cherine Fahd, an artist and professor of visual communication at the University of Technology Sydney, wrote in an email that when looking at the Princess Kate portrait, questions like “Does the portrait provoke dialogue?” and “Does it reflect or challenge societal contexts?” are “better than ‘Does it look her?’”

Uzor, a Zambia-born British artist, describes her practice as “driven by her interest in history, particularly, diasporic culture and its manifestation in personal and public memory” in a bio on her website. Her work has engaged with race-related deaths in Britain since the coronation of the Queen Elizabeth II in 1953 and she’s painted Black figures who have been overlooked by history, most notably Queen Victoria’s goddaughter, Sarah Forbes Bonetta .

In the Tatler interview, Uzor said her portraits are “made up of layers of a personality, constructed from everything I can find about them.”

Fahd said that, looking at the portrait of Catherine, it’s more interesting to focus on “how a woman of color, as the artist, directs her gaze upon a monarch.”

“Historically, people of color have been objects of anthropological examination by the colonial and imperial subjects but here, the roles are reversed,” she said.

Royal portraits “are a trope,” she added, but “this artist seems to consciously reject that trope.”

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Nuevo retrato de Kate Middleton abre otro debate Real en Reino Unido: "Intolerablemente malo"

por César Vega Martínez

VER RESUMEN

El nuevo retrato de la princesa Kate Middleton, creado por la artista Hannah Uzor, fue presentado en la revista Tatler generando opiniones divididas en el Reino Unido. Mientras Uzor aseguró "reconstruir sutiles momentos humanos a través de fotografías", críticos como Alastair Sooke de The Daily Telegraph lo calificaron como "intolerablemente malo" y sin parecido con la princesa.

Durante el pasado miércoles fue presentado el nuevo retrato de la Princesa de Gales, Kate Middleton, el cual fue creado por la artista británico-zambiana Hannah Uzor.

De acuerdo a CNN, el trabajo fue presentado como portada de la revista inglesa Tatler, la cual entrevistó a Uzor.

“Cuando no puedes conocer al modelo en persona, tienes que mirar todo lo que encuentres y reconstruir los sutiles momentos humanos que revelan las distintas fotografías: ¿tienen una forma particular de estar de pie o de sostener la cabeza o las manos? ¿Tienen un gesto recurrente”, indicó.

“Todos mis retratos se componen de capas de una personalidad, construidas a partir de todo lo que puedo encontrar sobre ellas”, agregó.

Retrato de Kate Middleton

Lo cierto es que la obra generó opiniones divididas en ese país, en su mayoría negativas.

De hecho el editor de The Daily Telegraph, Alastair Sooke, aseguró que no había similitudes entre persona y retrato.

“El retrato es intolerablemente malo, además de no muestra ningún atisbo de parecido con su sujeto”, expuso en redes sociales.

“Bajo un casco tipo Lego de ‘pelo’ sin modelar, monótonamente castaño, esta princesa de Gales tiene tanto carisma como una figurita naff encima de una tarta nupcial”, añadió con ironía.

Asimismo, la editora de realeza de The Times of London, Kate Mansey, también se mostró en contra de la obra.

“No sé muy bien qué decir sobre esto, excepto que…”, comentó.

Hay que señalar que, el pasado 14 de mayo, se reveló el primer retrato oficial de Carlos III, el cual tampoco gustó del todo en Reino Unido.

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