A NEW NORMAL

The Princess of Wales is looking to the future, putting family first and ditching her to-do list

- Emily Andrews

The Princess of Wales has always felt the pressure. Marrying into the most famous family in the world has been far from easy, but capable Catherine seemed to take it in her stride.

Though the glamorous carapace, whether decked in Alexander McQueen or Zara, has hidden a more anxious young woman who didn't want to put a foot wrong. This past year has arguably been the toughest of Catherine's life - dealing with major abdominal surgery followed by a cancer diagnosis and treatment. But it has also given her the time to reprioritise and reassess what really matters.

Leading royal author Robert Jobson, who has written a new biography of the Princess, tells me, 'This illness has made her realise that family is everything. It always must come first.

'Some people who have a life-changing experience, it makes them realise they don't have all the time in the world. Catherine has always put a huge amount of pressure on herself but she is now more forgiving of herself, not forcing herself to be the best all the time. A public engagement, a tour, a project has to be OK for her, to suit her, rather than she has to do something for appearances' sake or just because she's royal. It's more important for her to prioritise herself, whether that may be going to the gym or playing tennis. The reason for this shift is partly the cancer and partly because she's more comfortable in her role.'

Ditching the 'Perfect Princess' mentality may be hard for Kate when she has been so successful.

After her 2011 wedding to Prince William, she took her time to learn the royal ropes, was uncomfortable at public speaking and rarely did engagements on her own.