5 MINS AGO: Kate Middleton May Be Gearing Up for Major India Trip Alongside Prince William — And Their Reported Return Nearly a Decade After Their Last Tour Has Everyone Asking Why Now.

Kate Middleton May Be Gearing Up for India Trip Alongside Prince William

The Prince and Princess of Wales are reportedly set to return to India in November after previously touring the country in 2016

Prince William and Kate Middleton depart after a visit to the National Curling Academy in Stirling, Scotland, on Jan. 20, 2026.Credit : Samir Hussein/WireImage

NEED TO KNOW

Kate Middleton is reportedly set to return to the Earthshot Awards for the first time since 2022
The Princess of Wales is set to accompany her husband, Prince William, to India in November for the 2026 Earthshot Prize, the Mirror reports
The international trip marks another major step for the princess’s return to royal life since her cancer diagnosis in 2024

Kate Middleton may be gearing up for her next big international trip.

The Princess of Wales, 44, is reportedly set to accompany her husband, Prince William, 44, to India in November for the 2026 Earthshot Prize, according to an Aug. 11 report in the Mirror. Kensington Palace has not confirmed the plans, and did not comment when reached by PEOPLE.

If confirmed, it would mark Kate’s first Earthshot Prize appearance since the inaugural U.S. ceremony in Boston in 2022. She did not attend the 2023 event in Singapore, and missed the 2024 awards in Cape Town and the 2025 ceremony in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, as she stepped back from public duties following her 2024 cancer diagnosis.

“The secret to the Prince and Princess of Wales’ marriage is support for one another throughout their roles as working royals and as parents to their three young children,” said royal editor Russell Myers. “Everything they do is in tandem and this includes Catherine being the catalyst for William launching the Earthshot Prize, when he doubted it could become the global success it has.”

William first launched Earthshot in 2021, with an aim to inspire new ideas and initiatives to combat climate change and other global challenges, former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond told the outlet that Kate’s support has been instrumental from the very start.

Prince William and Kate Middleton meet healthcare staff during a visit to Charing Cross Hospital in West London on Jan. 8, 2026.Isabel Infantes/POOL/ AFP via Getty

“They are completely aligned in their love of nature and their belief in the climate crisis facing the world,” she explained. “It’s not just that she feels she should support her husband. The natural world, the fresh air we hope to keep on breathing and the delicate balance of preserving our planet are just as key to Catherine as they are to William. And that’s one of the many reasons why they make such a great team.”

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India is a significant destination for Kate’s first Earthshot Awards since 2022, for several reasons. William expressed how well the country aligns with the organization’s goals when he announced the 2026 awards back in February.

“This country is a global technology leader; it’s home to 8% of the world’s biodiversity,” he said. “It’s the world’s fastest-growing major climate with the largest population of young people in the world. And it’s home to more Earthshot Prize finalists and winners than any other country on the planet.”

The prince and princess also have a history of their own in the country; they traveled to India and Bhutan in 2016, visiting Mumbai, New Delhi, Kaziranga National Park in Assam and the Taj Mahal in Agra.

Prince William and Kate Middleton visit the Taj Mahal in Agra, India, on April 16, 2016.Pankaj Nangia/The India Today Group via Getty

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Princess Kate stepped back from public life after announcing in January 2024 that she had been diagnosed with cancer and was undergoing chemotherapy treatment. She revealed that she was in remission in early 2025 and has spent the past year gradually returning to her regular schedule of royal duties.

She made her first overseas trip in more than two years in May, visiting the northern Italian city of Reggio Emilia for a two-day visit focused on the city’s child-centered educational philosophy. The trip was seen as a successful return to the spotlight for the future queen, royal experts told PEOPLE at the time.

“The overriding concern from all quarters has been about her health and managing her eventual return to full-time duties,” said Myers, author of William & Catherine: The Intimate Inside Story. “She was given every assurance to take as much time as she needed, and this trip signifies that she is feeling better than she has in the last couple of years.”

Kate Middleton meets with schoolchildren in Reggio Emilia, Italy, on May 13, 2026.Samir Hussein/WireImage

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For Kate, this summer has been focused on a return to normalcy, as well as preparation for a major family change.

The couple and their children — Prince George, 13, Princess Charlotte, 11, and Prince Louis, 8 — attended the annual Trooping the Colour festivities as well as the Commonwealth Games in Scotland. Kate made her return to the Royal Ascot, completed the National Three Peaks Challenge, and once again presented the championship trophies at Wimbledon.

Then, next month, Prince George will begin school at Eton College, following in his father’s footsteps as the future heir to the throne. Preparing their eldest for the major transition is another milestone for William and Kate as future monarchs, experts have said.

“They are doing a very good job of making it look like the ship is steady,” said Catherine Mayer, author of Divide and Rule. “That is why Kate is so important… She and William are the future. There is no institution without them.”