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It has been two years since Queen Elizabeth II's passing, and the royal family has faced significant health issues during that time. King Charles received a cancer diagnosis that understandably caused great concern. However, perhaps the most worrying and high-profile scare was Catherine Middleton announcing that she too had been diagnosed with cancer.
During Her Late Majesty's reign, the royal family typically kept health matters very private. However, Katherine demonstrated tremendous strength by going public with her diagnosis, in a decision supported by the queen. Britons were overjoyed after candid photos of Katherine were released, as thousands responded with congratulations and well-wishes for her full recovery in the coming months.
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In a newly released video to mark ovarian cancer awareness month, Catherine paid a sweet tribute to the late Queen. The 3-minute long video features Katherine behind the wheel of a Land Rover, very similar to iconic footage from 1992 of the then 66-year-old Queen driving on her Norfolk estate. Katherine is seen turning the wheel and changing gears on the Sandringham estate, just as the Queen did over 30 years ago.
The two clips showed how Katherine has now taken on the queen's role of driving around the royal estates. It was a groundbreaking moment for the modern royal household to share such a personal health struggle. They had initially stayed silent about Katherine's cancer diagnosis earlier in the year, but clearly learned from that mistake. While the Queen herself would have been reluctant to disclose private health matters, she would have admired Katherine's bravery in going public.
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The queen's influence is still felt guiding the public relations efforts of the royal family. However, Katherine's cancer announcement marked a tectonic shift in how the family manages its public image going forward. Health issues will no longer be kept completely private as they were in the Queen's time. Even in death, the Queen's influence remains - it was widely acknowledged that her cause of death on the certificate would simply read "old age" as it did for Prince Philip, keeping private health details out of the public eye.
When Prince William and Catherine relocated their young family from London to Windsor in 2012, it was thought to be mainly due to their growing brood. However, it seems the Queen also played a role in encouraging the move. During Her Late Majesty's final years, there was no shortage of family drama including Prince Harry's stepping back from duties. While this difficult situation was not what the Queen foresaw for her legacy, she always had love for all her grandchildren.
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The deteriorating relationship between Prince William and Prince Harry in recent years is said to have deeply saddened their grandmother. Royal insiders believe the Queen would want her grandsons to reconcile. This week, Catherine and other royals paid tribute to the Queen on the second anniversary of her death. Despite their own significant health scares, the family has continued in their duties, though they are undoubtedly feeling the pain of her absence even more acutely this year. During the early days of mourning, the royal siblings and cousins united to comfort each other through their immense grief.
While the Queen sadly cannot be with them anymore, her indomitable spirit lives on in how the monarchy has soldiered through immense challenges over the last two years. Her calm, dignified leadership is deeply missed by the family she loved and supported throughout her unprecedented reign. In life and death, Queen Elizabeth II remains an inspiration, influencing their dedication to public service even during periods of private tragedy and loss. The late Queen would surely take pride in how The Firm has honored her memory by staying strong and united.
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