Kate Middleton announced her cancer diagnosis to the world on March 22, 2024, in an emotional video message. Exactly one year later, she’s in remission and resuming royal duties.

Most recently, the Princess of Wales, 43, made a triumphant return to the Irish Guards’ St. Patrick’s Day parade on March 17 after missing the event last year amid her health struggles. Kate looked cheerful as she met with the regiment, of which she serves as the honorary colonel. She also radiated as she joined the royal family at the annual Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey, standing out in a red ensemble.

Sally Bedell Smith exclusively tells PEOPLE in this week’s cover story about Princess Kate, “Everybody has an image in their mind of her looking quite wan and revealing something very personal and very worrying. Looking at her being so animated was an utter 180-degree turnaround.”

The Princess of Wales publicly revealed her cancer news in a personal video message shared on social media. The news came two months after she underwent abdominal surgery, and post-operative tests “found cancer had been present,” prompting Kate’s medical team to recommend chemotherapy. In the interim, her absence from the public eye sparked online conspiracies about her whereabouts. Scrutiny heightened after a Mother’s Day picture of her with her children — Prince George, now 11, Princess Charlotte, now 9, and Prince Louis, now 6 — was pulled from photo agencies due to photo editing.

Speaking directly to the camera in a self-written speech, the mother of three described an “incredibly tough couple of months for our entire family.”

Calling the news a “huge shock,” Princess Kate said that she and husband Prince William “have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family. As you can imagine, this has taken time. It has taken me time to recover from major surgery in order to start my treatment.”

“But, most importantly, it has taken us time to explain everything to George, Charlotte and Louis in a way that is appropriate for them, and to reassure them that I am going to be okay,” she said. “As I have said to them; I am well and getting stronger every day by focusing on the things that will help me heal; in my mind, body and spirits.”

Kate continued her cancer treatment in private, giving her next health update on June 14.

“I am making good progress, but as anyone going through chemotherapy will know, there are good days and bad days,” she said in the personal message. “On those bad days, you feel weak, tired and you have to give in to your body resting. But on the good days, when you feel stronger, you want to make the most of feeling well.”

The Princess of Wales also confirmed that she would join the royal family on June 15 for Trooping the Colour, the annual celebration of the British monarch’s birthday, marking her first official outing since Christmas. There, she seemed in good spirits as she rode in a horse-drawn carriage through the streets of London and waved from the balcony of Buckingham Palace.

Bedell Smith told PEOPLE at the time, “She couldn’t have picked a better moment to reappear in public. She didn’t seem to stop smiling. She looked so happy to be there. It was spellbinding to watch her.”

Princess Kate made another public outing for the men’s final at Wimbledon in July. She has attended the tennis tournament almost every year since she married Prince William in 2011, and her patronage of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club comes with the honor of presenting prizes to the winners.

Kate — who was joined at the outing by her daughter, Princess Charlotte, and her younger sister, Pippa — was greeted with a standing ovation as she took her seat in the Royal Box above Centre Court.

A palace insider told PEOPLE about the appearance, “This will have given her sustenance. She has gone through something awful and stressful, and it is crucial to have little wins to look forward to or to give you the courage and energy to go forward. And this was it.”

Princess Kate announced in another video message, this time featuring her family, that she had finished her chemotherapy treatment on Sept. 9, 2024.

“As the summer comes to an end, I cannot tell you what a relief it is to have finally completed my chemotherapy treatment,” Kate said 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 have had to find a way to navigate the stormy waters and road unknown.”

The royal said she was reminded to “be grateful” and focused on staying cancer-free.

“Although I have finished chemotherapy, my path to healing and full recovery is long and I must continue to take each day as it comes,” she added.

Princess Kate joined Prince William for a handful of outings in the fall, including a visit to Southport Community Centre on Oct. 10, the Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance on Nov. 9, the National Service of Remembrance on Nov. 10 and the start of Qatar’s state visit to the U.K. on Dec. 3.

She also marked the holiday season, continuing the recent tradition of hosting her Christmas carol concert on Dec. 6 and joining the royal family for their annual outing to church on Christmas Day.

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On Jan. 14, Kate paid a surprise visit to the Royal Marsden Hospital in London, where she was treated, to meet with patients. She also announced that she was in remission.

“It is a relief to now be in remission, and I remain focussed on recovery,” she said in the statement. “As anyone who has experienced a cancer diagnosis will know, it takes time to adjust to a new normal. I am however looking forward to a fulfilling year ahead. There is much to look forward to.”

The Princess of Wales has resumed royal duties since, taking on solo engagements as well as joint outings with Prince William.

Ailsa Anderson, former press secretary to the late Queen Elizabeth, tells PEOPLE: “Fast-forward, and what a difference a year makes. She’s even more beloved in the nation’s hearts than she was.”