The year 2025 has been one of remarkable resilience and redefinition for Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales. After a challenging battle with cancer that included surgery and chemotherapy—a journey she described as an emotional “roller coaster“—she announced her remission in January. Her careful and purposeful return to the public eye has been less about spectacle and more about substance.
This December, her appearance at Windsor Castle for a state banquet was a powerful symbol of this new chapter. Wearing Queen Victoria’s historic Oriental Circlet tiara, she embodied the poise of a future Queen. But behind the glamour lies a deeper mission. At the Future Workforce Summit, she delivered her first major speech post-treatment, passionately advocating for early childhood development and urging business leaders to support her initiatives—work so impactful it has influenced UK policy discussions on paternity leave.
Harvard professor Robert Waldinger, who co-authored an essay with Kate, notes the significance of her advocacy: “Early-childhood development is not glamorous… What she’s doing by lending her voice is huge.”
