LONDON, Jan 8, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - Catherine, Princess of Wales celebrates her 
43rd birthday on Thursday, seeking to turn the page on a turbulent year which 
saw her retreat from public life to fight cancer.

Kate, as she is commonly known, is expected to step up her royal engagements 
in 2025 after announcing in September that she had completed chemotherapy for 
an unspecified cancer.

Kensington Palace has not said where the Princess of Wales plans to mark the 
start of her 44th year but she usually spends it surrounded by family in 
Norfolk.

Her husband Prince William, heir to the British throne, was regularly 
photographed alone last year as both Kate and his father King Charles III 
received treatment for the disease.

But the royal couple are set to make more appearances together over the next 
12 months as they eye a return to normality, with William suggesting that an 
overseas trip may even be on the cards.

The princess has not taken part in an official foreign visit since she 
attended the Rugby World Cup in France in October 2023.

"I think hopefully Catherine will be doing a bit more next year, so we'll 
have some more trips maybe lined up," William said during a visit to Cape 
Town in November.

Catherine's birthday comes almost a year since she was admitted to hospital 
for abdominal surgery on January 16, 2024.

She spent nearly two weeks in the London Clinic after her operation, and was 
recuperating at home when she discovered that she had cancer and had to begin 
chemotherapy.

Her lack of public appearances sparked wild speculation online about her 
condition and whereabouts, which Kate finally put to bed with a video message 
on Instagram in March revealing her diagnosis.

She won plaudits for her openness and received an outpouring of support, but 
the announcement also plunged the monarchy into crisis given that her father-
in-law Charles was battling the disease as well.

Catherine received further praise following the release of a new video in 
September, in which she said that the previous nine months had been 
"incredibly tough".

- 'Brutal' year -

In a touching video that featured William and their three children -- George, 
11, Charlotte, 9, and Louis, 6 -- Catherine said that she was cancer free and 
looking forward to undertaking more engagements "when I can".

Her gradual return to public life late last year included attending the Emir 
of Qatar's state visit to Britain and the annual Remembrance Day ceremonies 
honouring the UK's war dead.

She also visited Southport in northwest England to meet people affected by a 
knife attack in July that killed three young girls.

Catherine reflected on "the most difficult times" as she hosted a Christmas 
service at Westminster Abbey last month, which came after William described 
the "brutal" year as the "hardest" of his life.

Catherine, hugely popular in Britain since her marriage to William in 2011, 
is adored by UK newspapers, who praise her elegance and warm attitude to the 
public during royal engagements.

The future queen is the daughter of a flight attendant and air traffic 
controller who went on to make a fortune from a business supplying party 
items.

Catherine met William in the early 2000s at the University of St Andrews in 
Scotland where she studied art history, before they wed in 2011.

She is seen as a key figure in maintaining the royals' position and relevance 
in a changing Britain.

Her public engagements this year are likely to feature the various charities 
she supports in early years education.

Catherine and William may also be called upon to attend the 80th anniversary 
of Victory in Europe Day on May 8 and Victory over Japan Day on August 15, 
which mark the end of World War II.

The royal couple also have their daughter's milestone 10th birthday to look 
forward to in May.