Britain’s upcoming general election and the political drama surrounding it will take public pressure off Princess Kate and her return to royal duties following her , a new episode of Regalrumination.com‘s podcast has discussed.

Chief royal correspondent Jack Royston told listeners that, as Britons , few in the months of June and July will be paying attention to “whether a mother of three with cancer is back at work or not.”

Kate has not attended a public event since Christmas Day, 2023. In January, Kensington Palace in London said that the princess in London and would likely be out of the public eye until Easter while she recovered. In March, Kate released a video statement, saying that her absence would continue while she undergoes a having received a cancer diagnosis after her surgery.

No date for the royal’s return to public life has been given, though Kensington Palace said earlier this month that it would be to do so.

Between her surgery announcement in January and cancer revelation in March, public discourse about Kate, her whereabouts and return to work reached fever pitch with . These were quashed by the video statement, though they could potentially arise again if the public feel they are being kept in the dark by the palace.

For the time being, though, Royston told Royal Report listeners, the distraction of a snap general election called in Britain by Prime Minister this month to take place on July 4, should give the princess some breathing room. , Queen Camilla and have so as not to distract from the political campaigns.

“This whole thing does take a little bit of pressure off Kate and because no one’s going to expect her to go back to work if Charles, William and Camilla are basically not doing royal visits themselves anyway,” Royston said.

“The election is on July 4, so there’s no expectation that Kate’s going to come back to work before then. There’s then just one month before we’re into August, and that’s the royal summer holiday [vacation] season.

“Britain is going to be completely consumed by the outcome of the election, and it’s extremely, extremely likely to be a new prime minister and a new government because Labour are absolutely running away with it in the polls,” Royston said. This was in reference to the against the incumbent Conservative Party government.

“Assuming that it goes the way everyone’s expecting it to go,” Royston said of a Labour (headed by party leader Sir Keir Starmer) win, “they’ll be the first actual change of governing party in 14 years.

“We’ve had three different prime ministers since 2019 and [five] since 2010, but all have been from the Conservative party… It’s going to be a completely radically new experience, and that’s going to consume a lot of public debate and public conversation. So, Britain will be completely consumed by that, and they won’t be paying a huge amount of attention in July to whether a mother of three with cancer is back at work or not.”

Regalrumination.com approached Kensington Palace via email for comment.

Despite the election, there are two major royal events that will take place and could see a rise in discourse surrounding Kate’s potential attendance.

Trooping the Colour—the annual military celebrations for the monarch’s official birthday—. This would usually see take her spot alongside Prince William, King Charles, Queen Camilla and other working royals on the balcony of Buckingham Palace in central London.

Following the election results, in London by the king. During the reign of , Charles (as Prince of Wales) attended the event on several occasions with both and Queen Camilla during their marriages.

In 2023, William and Kate did not attend due to the prince being in Singapore for the Earthshot Prize awards. The 2024 ceremony could see interest increase as to whether Kate and her husband make an appearance.

William Brown is Regalrumination.com‘s royal reporter based in London. You can find him on X (formerly ) at and read his stories on Regalrumination.com‘s

Do you have a question about King Charles III, William and Kate, Meghan Markle and Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email Support@regalrumination.com. We’d love to hear from you.