'She knew the world was watching': Why we won't see Catherine, the Princess of Wales again any time soon

Catherine, the Princess of Wales' appearance at Wimbledon this week was nothing short of triumphant, but don't mistake it for her grand return to public life.

The 42-year-old royal, who has been undergoing cancer treatment since early this year, was greeted with a standing ovation when she arrived at the tournament with daughter Princess Charlotte on Sunday (UK time).

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Some royal watchers hailed it as a sign the Princess of Wales will return to public life soon, but Robert Jobson, author of Catherine, the Princess of Wales: A Biography of the Future Queen insists that's not the case.

"It showed a lot of courage and character, as she knew that the world was watching," he told People, but it was a one-off outing.

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More to this photo of Charlotte than meets the eye

Jobson predicts that instead of planning more public appearances after her successful Wimbledon return, Catherine will retreat to continue recovering privately at her and Prince William's Anmer Hall home in Norfolk over the coming months.

It's expected the princess will only attend select outings for the rest of the year, and only when it suits her health and ongoing treatment schedule.

"She will be back, but when you have had an experience like this, it changes your perspective and the order of things," Jobson explained.

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Last year, Catherine attended 128 royal engagements and organised her life around gala dinners, charitable causes, and royal tours.

Now, she and the rest of the Wales clan are putting her health before any royal calendar.

Prince William cut back on his own royal duties around the time she was diagnosed and has prioritised spending time at home with his wife and children over the last six months.

Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis have also been central to Catherine's recovery, with at least one of her children accompanying her on every public outing this year.

Though she looked happy and healthy at Wimbledon, the Princess of Wales has made it clear she's not yet ready to return to public life full-time.

In June, she said in a personal update that "there are good days and bad days" during cancer treatment and that she's "not out of the woods yet".

"I am learning how to be patient, especially with uncertainty. Taking each day as it comes, listening to my body, and allowing myself to take this much-needed time to heal," she wrote on social media.

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With that in mind, it should come as no surprise she plans to "retreat" from public life again to recover privately over the summer.

Palace insiders told People that Catherine will be given "plenty of time to focus on her recovery" in the months ahead, and won't be expected to take on any major royal duties.

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