Princess Catherine spoke about her “unplanned” year, while Sally Bedell Smith says King Charles’s health has prompted the couple to consider their future reign.

“Although the King is carrying out his duties with typical determination, he has had to accept limitations during his cancer treatment," royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith told People. "As a result William has been taking on more responsibilities, and he and Kate have been preparing for their future roles sooner than they would have expected.”

As Kate Middleton continues to recover after her cancer diagnosis, she is also looking ahead at becoming Queen sooner than expected. The Princess of Wales just wrapped up her biggest public outing since completing chemotherapy in September—her annual Christmas carol service on Dec.