Rhiannon explained how this year has been testing for the royals, in particular for Kate Middleton, 42, and King Charles, 76, as a result of their cancer battles.
Rhiannon recognises: “It’s been a tricky year for the family.
“In a way they’ve been humanised, because of the cancer diagnosis.”
As a result, the royal expert recognised that Kate and Charles’ openness surrounding their treatment has proved that they’re just like us.
She continues: “I think, for the Republican movement, it’s not a great year to try and give the Royal Family a bashing, over money.
“I don’t think there’s the appetite from the public to have a go at them.”
Whilst we haven’t seen much of the Princess of Wales this year as a result of her undergoing chemotherapy, the mum-of-three was spotted recently when she made a surprise public appearance with Prince William to meet Southport victims.
It is her first public engagement with her husband since her cancer diagnosis – after she remained absent from any official duties following abdominal surgery in January.
Kate, who previously spoke about needing “time, space and privacy” while she completed her treatment, chatted to first responders and families, after Bebe King, six, was killed along with Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and nine-year-old Alice da Silva Aguiar at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in the Merseyside town on July 29.
Their Royal Highnesses met privately with the families of the three tragic children, and dance teacher Leanne Lucas who was present when the attack happened.
Discussing Kate’s surprise Southport visit, Rhiannon shares: “It’s been so rare to see her out in public this year.
“We knew that Prince William was going to go to Southport, we knew he was going to meet privately with the families.
In a way they’ve been humanised, because of the cancer diagnosis
Rhiannon Mills
“And then it was only literally an hour before he was due to arrive, we were told that the Princess was also going to be there.
“I think for William and Kate, what they can do and what we saw on that day, is they can bring attention back to a community that may have felt forgotten.”
Surprise Southport appearance
Rhiannon was present on 10 October, when Catherine was seen hugging tearful emergency service workers as they told her of their ordeal responding to the Southport stabbings.
You could see etched on their faces, the strain of that visit
Rhiannon Mills
She adds: “I was there in the back garden, watching the Prince and Princess chatting to emergency service personnel.
“You could see etched on their faces, the strain of that visit.
“It was very emotionally charged.
“It doesn’t necessarily surprise me that she wanted to make that gesture.
“But in a year where we’ve seen so little from her, I think it’s all about those gestures.”
Kate revealed her diagnosis, which she said came as a “huge shock”, in March.
She said she initially had no signs of cancer but post-op tests showed the disease had been “present”.
A Kensington Palace spokesperson confirmed she started a course of preventative chemotherapy in late February.
After taking time away from royal duties, in September, Kate confirmed she had finish chemotherapy and was focusing on being ‘cancer free’.
She said she was “looking forward” to being back at work and taking on a few more public engagements in the coming months.
Meanwhile, Charles’ cancer ordeal began in January when he revealed he needed a corrective procedure for an enlarged prostate.
The King was then diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer in February following prostate surgery.
He decided to allow the public to know what he was going through, which resulted in a huge outpouring of sympathy.
The King was withdrawn from all public duty for 103 days although he continued reading government red boxes.
But he still managed to carry out 464 engagements in a year and more than 105,000 invited guests had walked through the doors of Royal palaces.
While he is “not yet out of the woods”, according to those in his inner circle, they add there is “great optimism” and treatment has gone “better than anyone would have thought”.
