Princess Kate is following in Princess Diana's footsteps when "standing up for herself"

The Princess of Wales has resumed her royal duties in 2025. And following her cancer diagnosis, and year-long recovery, she is now confirmed to be in remission.

As she returns to her role as one of the leaders of the fold, the Princess of Wales has been front and centre. But royal experts have explained that her priorities will be different than before, with the mother of three's illness reportedly changing her outlook.

"Before, she used to live her life by the calendar," explained Robert Jobson, author of Catherine, the Princess of Wales: A Biography of the Future Queen. "And now she is living her life, and the calendar comes in after.

He added: "When you have had an experience like this, it changes your perspective and the order of things."

This reportedly extends to Princess Kate's independence too, with royal experts opening up about the Princess of Wales' refusal to have her life "dictated".

"Kate has grown into a strong woman and we are seeing her take agency over her own life," former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond explained in a recent interview with OK!, via The Sun.

"In many ways she is continuing where her late mother-in-law, Diana, left off – refusing to be dictated to by ‘the grey men of the palace’."

Bond went on to recall that it took the late Princess Diana "a long time to stand up for herself" when she became a royal back in 1981. However Princess Kate on the other hand "has now been either associated with or an integral part of the royal family for longer than Diana was".

"She is championing causes that she has chosen, and I think her cancer diagnosis has made her even more determined to carry out her role in the way that she believes is most effective," Bond explained.

It is not known when the Princess of Wales will return to royal duties permanently, but she has thanked the public for their ongoing support.