was a moment of quiet strength. Sitting tall in the open carriage at Trooping the Colour on June 14, Kate Middleton smiled at the thousands lining the Mall. She didn’t say a word, but the message was unmistakable.
Just a year ago, Kate, 43, had taken part in the same ceremony while undergoing chemotherapy for an undisclosed form of cancer, her role more limited as she focused on healing. This time, she was present at every turn, including a significant appearance on the parade ground alongside King Charles, 76, and Queen Camilla, 77, fulfilling her role as honorary Colonel of the Irish Guards.
“She projected the confidence of someone who has enthusiastically reconnected with her public duties,” royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith tells PEOPLE in this week’s issue.
