Kate Middleton has finished her chemotherapy and says: “The last nine months have been incredibly hard”

Kate Middleton has completed her chemotherapy and is sharing personal details about her journey since her cancer diagnosis earlier this year.

On Monday, September 9, the Princess of Wales released an emotional video message recorded last month near her family home in Norfolk, which also features her husband, Prince William, and their three children, Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6.

“Summer is coming to an end and I can’t tell you what a relief it is to finally have finished my chemotherapy,” Kate says in the video. “The last nine months have been incredibly tough for us as a family. Life as you know it can change in an instant and we’ve had to find a way to navigate the stormy waters and the unknown path.”

“Cancer is complex, scary and unpredictable for anyone, especially those closest to you. But humility also allows you to confront your own vulnerabilities in ways you’ve never considered before and gain a new perspective on everything.

“Above all, this time has reminded William and me to reflect on and be grateful for the simple but important things in life that so many of us often take for granted. Simply to love and be loved.

“My goal now is to do whatever I can to stay cancer-free. Although I have completed chemotherapy, my road to healing and full recovery is long and I must continue to take each day as it comes,” she says.

“However, I am looking forward to getting back to work and, if possible, making some more public appearances in the coming months,” she continues.

“Despite everything that has happened before, I begin this new phase of recovery with a renewed sense of hope and a greater appreciation for life.

“William and I are so grateful for the support we have received and have drawn great strength from all those helping us during this time. We have been truly impressed by the kindness, compassion and empathy shown by everyone.”

Kate concluded by saying: “To all those continuing their own cancer journey – I stand with you, side by side, hand in hand. Out of the darkness can come light, so let that light shine brightly.”

PEOPLE has learned that the Princess of Wales is looking forward to making a number of public appearances in the coming months, but as she says in her message today, her focus is on being cancer-free and her road to full recovery is a long one.

For the remainder of the year, she will return to a relaxed programme of external engagements, reflecting the need to focus on her full recovery.

Kate has begun working from home on projects, including her work on early childhood, and will continue to do so in the coming months. She is likely to attend Remembrance Day with the royal family in November and has begun planning her annual Christmas concert at Westminster Abbey in December.

A Buckingham Palace spokesman said King Charles (who is currently undergoing cancer treatment) and Queen Camilla “consider the details of today’s announcement to be wonderful news and will continue to send the Princess all their love, thoughts and support as she continues her journey to a full recovery.”

In the emotional video, Kate Middleton is captured in tender, private family moments. From driving through the tranquil English countryside with William and their children to loving gestures with her husband, the video shows their close-knit family life. In the woods, Kate leans on William’s shoulder as she watches her children play and finds comfort in nature during her treatment. She can be seen leaning against a tree and gently pushing Louis on a swing. The family shares joyful moments playing cards with Kate’s parents, Carole and Michael Middleton. On the beach, Kate and William relax on a blanket with their dog nearby, and in a touching scene, Kate releases a butterfly from her hands.

The Princess of Wales has largely withdrawn from public life throughout 2024. After undergoing elective abdominal surgery in January, Kate announced in a moving video message on March 22 that she had been diagnosed with cancer and was undergoing chemotherapy. She has only been seen in an official capacity twice this year – on June 15 at Trooping the Colour and on July 14 at Wimbledon, alongside her daughter Princess Charlotte and sister Pippa Middleton.

In a statement released in June, accompanied by a portrait taken under a tree in Windsor, Kate wrote that while she has “good days,” the challenges of chemotherapy have also brought tough days. In her video address in March, she shared that her work continues to bring her “a deep sense of joy,” and while she continued chemotherapy for an unspecified type of cancer this summer, Kate has been working from home at Adelaide Cottage. She has held regular meetings with her private secretary Tom White, deputy private secretary Natalie Burrows and the Prince and Prince of Wales’ communications secretary Lee Thompson to discuss plans for the future and to keep up to date with the latest developments on her various royal initiatives.

“It’s good not to feel pressured and just give her time and have quiet days when she needs it,” a source told PEOPLE over the summer.

Prince William, 42, returned to public duty on September 5 after spending the summer with Kate, also 42, and their children Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6. The three children returned to school the same week that their father returned to work after a summer spent mostly at their country estate Anmer Hall in Norfolk, as well as a stay at Balmoral Castle in Scotland, where Kate was photographed on August 25 driving to church at Crathie Kirk.

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Following her performance at Wimbledon in July, royal biographer Robert Jobson, author of the new book Catherine, Princess of Wales: A biography of the future queentold PEOPLE: “She used to live her life by the calendar, and now she lives her life and the calendar gets behind it.”

He added: “It will come back, but when you have had an experience like that, it changes your perspective and the order of things.”