Kate Middleton shouldn’t be the peacemaker in Prince William and Prince Harry‘s feud, but her cancer battle may have played a role in the slightly thawed relations royal fans have seen since the Duke of Sussex’s 40th birthday on Sept. 15. It was downright shocking to see the Prince and Princess of Wales acknowledge Harry’s birthday, especially since things have been quite chilly over the last few years.
While some reports believe that William was nudged by King Charles III to share a birthday message for Prince Harry, The Mirror seems to think that William “has been doing some re-evaluation” amid his wife’s cancer battle. Former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond wrote, “My gut feeling is that Catherine was influential in this slight softening of her husband‘s implacable stand. In the film she made about the end of her chemotherapy, she told how cancer had given her a new perspective.”
In Kate’s Sept. 10 update about her health, she narrated a cinematic clip about her journey and spoke of how the last year has changed their lives. With humility, it also brings you face to face with your own vulnerabilities in a way you have never considered before, and with that, a new perspective on everything,” the Princess of Wales explained. “This time has above all reminded William and me to reflect and be grateful for the simple yet important things in life, which so many of us often take for granted. Of simply loving and being loved.”