The Princess of Wales’s “new reality” covers this week’s issue of People Magazine. What new reality is that? You see, Kate and William are quietly preparing to be king and queen. It’s been months of this, months of Kensington Palace and unnamed “friends of Prince William” reinforcing a narrative that King Charles is not long for this world. Not just that, but sources seem to indicate that William and Kate are not actually all that prepared, so they’ve been consumed with angst and anxiety about all of it. Tina Brown also used a similar argument when she tried to explain WTF was happening with Will and Kate earlier this year – that Will & Kate were “frozen with intense anxiety” as they “flailed” around with incompetence. Obviously, People Mag isn’t that harsh, but this whole cover story is rather curious. Some highlights:

Kate’s future role as queen: As Kate continues her recovery, she’s confronting the looming responsibilities of her future role as Queen. Following Queen Elizabeth’s death in September 2022, William and Kate found themselves on the brink of the roles of King and Queen. When William’s father, King Charles, 76, revealed his own cancer diagnosis in February — treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer remains ongoing — that position came into sharper focus. Additionally, Queen Camilla, 77, was recently forced to step back from several royal engagements as she battled pneumonia, a further reminder of the family’s vulnerability.

Charles’s limitations: Royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith adds, “Although the King is carrying out his duties with typical determination, he has had to accept limitations during his cancer treatment. As a result William has been taking on more responsibilities, and he and Kate have been preparing for their future roles sooner than they would have expected.”

The calm before the storm: Adds an insider: “There’s a sense of calm before the storm. They are next in line for the biggest job of their lives, and of course, Kate’s health has taken priority, but it’s also allowed everyone to take a step back and figure out what’s important right now.”

Transition plans: The transition to the throne will inevitably come, though it remains a complex and carefully considered path. “It is something the institution is always mindful of,” says a close source of how plans are frequently updated. “It is an institutional preparedness.” The source adds, “Their circumstances will eventually change. Given what the future holds, it would be very sensible to build back slowly and prioritize family time.”

Kate’s journey back to public life: As she navigates her way back to public life, Kate’s path won’t be straightforward. The sense is that when she does make public appearances, she will be alongside William, likely joining engagements he was already set to attend as well as landmark royal occasions. “They can’t raise people’s expectations with lots of engagements only for her to face a setback, not feel well, and things are canceled,” Queen Elizabeth’s former press secretary Ailsa Anderson tells PEOPLE. “The strategy of an unexpected visit gives her flexibility. She doesn’t have the pressure of feeling she has to turn up.”

Unpredictable disease: Adds Robert Hardman, author of The Making of a King: Charles III and the Modern Monarchy: “We are being encouraged not to look at this as a chapter that’s over and then it’s back to normal, because cancer doesn’t work like that. The details remain private, but there’s no sense of trying to gloss over the reality that it’s an unpredictable disease.”

Kate’s reshaped focus: Friends and sources say Kate’s experience has reshaped her focus, both at home and in her approach to royal duties. “Life-threatening illnesses bring a reconsideration of priorities. She and William have always made it clear that family is the most important thing,” a source close to the royal household says. She will return to more public-facing duties when she’s ready and her doctors give the go-ahead. A second source close to the household adds, “She has to get back on top of it. And she will if she is left alone to work it out for herself.”

[From People]

This reads, to me, like yet another “promise to be keen,” which have been regular features coming out of Kensington Palace for more than a decade. Kate spent years doing the bare minimum as Duchess of Cambridge because she was “preparing to be queen.” Now that she’s Princess of Wales, it turns out that there are still so many preparations, all of which need to be done privately, and she cannot do more than a handful of public appearances while she prepares. The truth is, Kate has never thought of her DoC or PoW titles as preparatory for queendom. She always told herself – and the courtiers always told us – that she would not do a damn thing until she was queen. And now that it’s closer than ever, she’s still like “meh, nevermind.” She really will be the least visible consort in history.

Cover courtesy of People Magazine, additional photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.