Brave Princess Kate WILL join royals at Remembrance services as she goes from strength to strength after ‘hardest year’

BRAVE Princess Kate will join royals at Remembrance services – as she goes from strength to strength after her “hardest year”.

The Princess of Wales will attend the Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall on Saturday and the Remembrance Sunday service at the Cenotaph.

It marks the next significant step in Kate’s gradual return to public royal duties as she prepares to join the King and the Prince of Wales to honour the nation’s war dead.

The announcement comes after William candidly spoke of how 2024 has been “brutal” and “probably been the hardest year in my life”, with both Kate and the King diagnosed with cancer.

Kate will attend the annual Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall on Saturday evening and then the national commemoration at the Cenotaph on Sunday.

It will be the first time Kate, who revealed she had an undisclosed form of cancer eight months ago, will have carried out two consecutive days of public engagements since the start of the year.

In a video released in September, Kate revealed she had finished her chemotherapy treatment, and spoke of how she was “looking forward to being back at work and undertaking a few more public engagements in the coming months”.

But she added her focus was “doing what I can to stay cancer free”.

Meanwhile, the Queen’s attendance over the weekend will be subject to medical advice nearer the time.

Camilla, 77, is unwell with a chest infection and was forced to pull out of engagements earlier this week.

Charles, who recently completed his first long haul overseas tour since his own cancer diagnosis, will lay a wreath of poppies at the base of the memorial, leading the nation in tribute to its fallen servicemen and women.

It comes after Prince William yesterday said the cancer diagnoses of his wife Kate and dad King Charles were “brutal”, but he was “so proud” of both.

Asked on a trip to South Africa how his year has been, he replied: “Honestly? It’s been dreadful.

“It’s probably been the hardest year in my life.”

But the Prince of Wales insisted he just had to “crack on” with life.

He opened his heart with an honest assessment of the past 12 months in an interview with UK print media in Cape Town.

While the King, 75, and Kate, 42, have both issued statements about their health struggles, this is the first time William has spoken so candidly on the subject.

Asked how his year has been, he replied: “Honestly? It’s been dreadful. It’s probably been the hardest year in my life.”

William, who took time off while Kate was being treated, added: “So, trying to get through everything else and keep everything on track has been really difficult.

“But I’m so proud of my wife, I’m proud of my father, for ­handling the things that they have done. But from a personal family point of view, it’s been, yeah, it’s been brutal.”

The Princess of Wales spent 13 nights in hospital in January after abdominal surgery.

In a video message in March she revealed she had cancer.

In September the mum of three said she had finished her chemotherapy and was taking each day as it comes.

It comes after Prince William gave an update on Kate’s health – saying ‘she’s been amazing this year’ after her cancer diagnosis.

Wills, 42, has travelled to South Africa without the Princess of Wales who is continuing her recovery from cancer after completing chemotherapy.

He also lifted the lid on how Kate and his three children stay environmentally-friendly at Adelaide Cottage – as he calls for “hope and optimism”.

Speaking to BBC and Sky News in Cape Town ahead of his £50million Earthshot Prize, he said: “She’s doing really well, thanks. And hopefully she is watching tonight.

“So cheering me on. She’s been amazing this whole, this whole year. I know she will be really keen to see tonight be a success.”

In a touching gesture, the prince has been wearing a bracelet made by Princess Charlotte, 9, to wear during his four-day trip.

Wills revealed all, saying: “Well, this is a this is, I think, a relic, if you like, from a Taylor Swift concert that my daughter decided that she wanted to create a bracelet for.

“She gave it to me when I came away. So I promised that wear it and try not to lose while I was out here.”

‘HOMECOMING’

The fourth Earthshot Prize is in Africa as a ‘homecoming’ after William dreamt up the idea while in Namibia.

Five winners will scoop £1million each at a glittering ceremony held in an environmentally-friendly eco-dome and green carpet twice the size of a rugby pitch.

Speaking about Africa he said: “I’ve been greatly looking forward to the time I can bring Earthshot to Africa.

“I love this continent. And have spent many a year looking around exploring it.

“I’m just really thrilled to have the reception of the exuberance and energy that’s going to be in this room tonight around Earthshot in South Africa.”

The prince launched his prize to find solutions to climate change and inject optimism into the debate.

He added: “I think everyone wants some hope and wants some optimism.

“I think the Earthshot encompasses urgent optimism. That’s what we’re here for.

“And as I think you will see tonight, the amount of youth from Africa who’ll be in here.

“They’ll be letting you know and letting everyone know that it matters to them.

“And without them, you know, the future is looking pretty bleak. So these are the game changers.

“These are the innovators. These are the inventors that are going to make the world a better place for us in the future.”

The prince, who has worn eco-friendly shirts and ties during his trip, was questioned about how he and Kate and their three children stay green at home in Windsor.

He said: “Every family tries to do what they can to sort of help with the environment.

“We go through all the basics of recycling and making sure we minimise water use and turning off lights when we leave the house and stuff like that, and making sure, which is sensible in what we do around the environment.

“And I think every family has these conversations. You just try to do what you can.

“The Earthshot Prize has got to be a bit more global than that. We are trying to do big scale ambition and big scale business to tackle some of the solutions.

“But I brought the children along that journey and tonight I hope they are watching.

“Yhey are proud of kind of what we are try to do here, which is to really galvanise that energy that enthusiasm to make real impact.”

William is making a speech later tonight when he unveils the five winners each pocketing £1million.

TAKE A HIKE

William also went for a hike with a TV icon’s son – posing for a selfie and revealing his favourite animal.

The Prince of Wales joined Robert Irwin for a walk up Signal Hill, which overlooks the South African city of Cape Town.

Robert is the son of Aussie nature presenter Steve Irwin, known to millions as the Crocodile Hunter.

William, 42, posed for a video selfie with Robert at the top of Signal Hill, which is next to Table Mountain.

She’s been amazing this whole, this whole year. I know she will be really keen to see tonight be a success

Prince William

In the clip, Robert asked him: “Do you have a favourite African animal?”

The prince replied: “Oh, it’s a really tough question. My children ask me this regularly.

“I’m think I’m going to have to say the cheetah. Very cool, fantastic animals.”

Revealing his own favourite animal, Robert said that chameleons are “unsung heroes”.

An impressed William said: “I love them.”

As the pair clambered up the rock-strewn hill, William said: “I’ll try not to wipe myself out in front of everybody.”

Signal Hill is a Cape Floral Kingdom World Heritage Site, boasting rare and endangered plants including the unique fynbos.

William was told while it is rare for bigger game to visit it is a haven for bird and insect life.

He said: “Well it’s looking spectacular at the moment.”

Speaking to rangers, he said: “What a stunning spot to met you guys in. Look at this, it’s amazing.”

The prince wore an eco-friendly shirt by EcoAlf and a jacket by Rapanui.

The Prince stopped to hello to Lia, a Dutch Shepherd dog, who was taking advantage of the moment to lie down.