The Princess of Wales has become all about “the healing power of nature.” That’s her new thing, and it really seems like “appreciating nature” is the new “keen about Early Years.” Goodbye credible expertise on early childhood development and hello credible expertise on hiking and breathing. One of her go-to messages used to be “not enough people know about the importance of the early years.” The new message is probably “not enough people know about the importance of being in nature.” Well, following that odd Scouts video released last week, royal biographer Robert Jobson was sent out to talk about how Keen For Nature Kate has had a spiritual awakening (on a hike, probably).
The healing power of nature has helped sustain the Princess of Wales through her most challenging times. And as she looks to the future with a new perspective on life, her love of the outdoors has unlocked her spiritual side, too. Last week, Kate, 43, revealed how getting out in nature has brought her a sense of peace and helped her find balance in her life as she recovers from cancer. “I find it a very spiritual and very intense emotional reconnection, I suppose, [being in] these environments,” she said during a visit to the Lake District.
Royal biographer Robert Jobson, author of Catherine: The Princess of Wales, tells HELLO!:”Throughout her illness and recovery, the Princess has certainly reconnected with nature in the same way as the King has, but she has also had a bit of a religious, spiritual reawakening – as has Prince William, I understand. I hear they have become more ‘happy clappy’, which isn’t surprising considering what has happened with her health. They are making sure that they are more connected as a family, too.”
“Catherine has always been an outdoorsy person, but her love of nature has taken on a whole new dimension since her cancer diagnosis. She has learned to appreciate the small, simple things in life all the more. As a busy mother, it would be easy for her to forget to get outside every day – but this is now a priority, and she appreciates the sun, the trees and the wildlife around her more than ever before.”
My struggle with making fun of this is that during the pandemic, I went back to nature too. I didn’t want to go to the gym in the height of the pandemic, so I ended up going for hours-long walks and really enjoying the meditative aspect of being mostly alone on a hiking trail or a quiet park, out in the fresh air. I’m still doing that too. I could totally imagine it’s the same for Kate, and that there was some kind of shift in 2023/24 which made her start appreciating these quiet moments outside even more. All that being said, this is absolutely a strategic shift in palace messaging as well – Kate needs an abundance of time away from work and “royal duties” so she can walk in nature. And ski in nature. And go on vacation in Mustique, to be one with the ocean and the cocktails. It’s just another version of “promising to be keen,” with a back-to-nature twist.
Photos/screengrabs courtesy of Kensington Palace.
