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.
