Kate Middleton Is ‘More Aware of What She Needs to Do to Stay Healthy’ After Health Scare

In early October, Princess Kate Middleton invited a teenage photographer to shoot a ceremony at Windsor Castle. She greeted Liz Hatton, who is fighting a rare and aggressive cancer, with a hug and sat down to chat with her and her family over the teen’s favorite lemon drizzle cake. “I felt very honored,” says Liz, 17.

Since marrying into Britain’s royal family in 2011, Kate has dedicated her life to giving back, but completing her own cancer treatment has opened up her eyes. “She’s so grateful for her health,” says a royals insider, who adds that the princess, 42, is prioritizing “time with her family and her favorite causes” now that she is feeling more like herself.

Of course, Kate’s been tempted to return to the full schedule of engagements she had before she was diagnosed with an unspecified cancer, but her illness has taught her to be kinder and more patient with herself. “Now she understands that things like rest, being at peace, and emotionally letting some things go are a huge part of a healthy lifestyle,” says the insider. “She used to stress and have anxiety, which doesn’t help with overall good health.”

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Kate has always eaten well and exercised, but “she’s become more aware of what she needs to do to stay healthy and energetic,” says the insider. “She’s learned not to ignore that little voice when it tells her to slow down and listen to her body. She really likes long walks now, breathing fresh air and clearing her mind.”

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Feeling strong enough to play with her children, Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6, has been the greatest gift of all. After the terrible fright of her illness, Kate has new hope that she’ll be able to be there for her family for years to come. “Her children are the most important people in her life,” says another insider. “Everything else takes a back seat.”