Fresh concerns over Kate Middleton's health as Princess of Wales 'will not be seen in public this year'

There are fresh concerns over Kate Middleton's health as it has been reported the Princess of Wales "will not be seen in public this year" as she takes time to recover from an ongoing health battle.

The Princess of Wales bravely told the public earlier this year that she had cancer after weeks of speculation surrounding her health after an operation.

While there are few details of her condition, it has been reported that she is surrounded by her own family and will not return to public duties in the near or distant future.

Kate is expected to spend the school holidays next week with her family at their country home on the Sandringham Estate, reports the Scottish Daily Express.

The royal family said they would be stepping back from some engagements in the coming months to avoid distracting from the general election.

One source told the Daily Beast they do not expect to see Kate back in any kind of public-facing role in the medium term, adding it was possible she would remain absent from public life for the rest of the year.

The source said: “Lots of people involved in planning need to know what all the principals are doing a long way in advance.

"I am told that Kate’s diary for this year is empty. There is nothing planned. She may not appear in public for the rest of the year.”

The friend said that Kate has preferred to lean on and confide in her family rather than her and William’s circle of friends, many of whom will be at the Duke of Westminster’s wedding next month.

They said: “The circle of trust is tiny. She has been surrounded by Carole and Michael, and (sister) Pippa and (brother) James have obviously been there for her as well.

"They are an incredibly tight family, and Catherine feels absolutely confident relying on them. They have been there for her for decades and never let her down.”

Kate revealed her cancer diagnosis in a video message released March 22, saying she had initially thought her condition was non-cancerous, but discovered the truth after successful abdominal surgery in January.

Subsequent tests revealed cancer—as yet of an unspecified kind—was present.

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