Kate Middleton Misses William’s Annual Polo Match As She Adjusts to 'New Normal' After Cancer
Prince William is extremely fond of polo and plays matches every year for charities. Another royal family member who is usually spotted at his matches is his wife, Kate Middleton. Even before the couple tied the knot, Middleton would show up at the polo ground to support the Prince. However, that wasn't the case this year, as the Princess skipped her husband’s match second year in a row in favor of 'recovery'.
Middleton was a no-show at the Out-Sourcing Inc. Royal Charity Polo Cup 2024 after she was diagnosed with cancer. While the mother-of-three is now in remission, she missed her husband’s polo match this year too, on July 11, 2025, according to Page Six. This comes after she pulled out of attending the Royal Ascot last month to balance rest and public duty. The Princess recently opened up about the same, and admitted that she has been adjusting to the ‘new normal’ as she prioritizes her health. In 2023, when she last attended a match of William's, fans were left in awe by their chemistry as the Prince kissed Middleton on the cheek in greeting.
According to People magazine, Middleton, during her recent visit to Colchester Hospital in Essex, earlier this month, had further explained her life in remission as: “You put on a sort of brave face, stoicism through treatment. Treatment is done, then it's like, 'I can crack on, get back to normal,' but actually, the phase afterwards is really, really difficult.” The mother-of-three continued, “You are not necessarily under the clinical team any longer, but you are not able to function normally at home as you perhaps once used to.” She added, “And actually, someone to help talk you through that, show you, and guide you through that sort of phase that comes after treatment, I think is really valuable.” Middleton dubbed her battle with the illness as ‘life-changing’ for both her patient and her family, and advised others undergoing the same fate to find a ‘new normal.’ She opined, “You have to find your new normal and that takes time...and it is a roller coaster, it is not smooth, like you expect it to be. But the reality is you go through hard times.”
Despite her health struggles, Middleton has continued to fulfil her royal duties. Being a patron of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, she recently attended the thirteenth day of the Wimbledon Championship to give away the awards. A day later, she was joined by William and their children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte. This came after the Prince and Princess of Wales pulled out all the stops for the state visit by French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife.