Kate Middleton's Message About the ‘Darkest of Times’ Is Raising Eyebrows

glamour.com:

that she had been diagnosed with cancer in March, following , then stepped back from the public eye to undergo chemotherapy treatment.

As such, her decision to host her fourth annual Christmas carol concert has been viewed as a . But what might this highly personal message tell us about how the Princess of Wales has viewed this most challenging of years?“Christmas is my favorite time of the year,” wrote the Princess of Wales in the letter, which concertgoers will receive alongside the order of service on Friday. “It is a time for celebration and joy, but it also gives us the opportunity to slow down and reflect on the deeper things that connect us all.”She continued, focusing on how stepping back from daily life might encourage us to look inwards to the more vulnerable sides of ourselves and re-focus on what we can offer to others. “The Christmas story encourages us to consider the experiences and feelings of others,” Catherine wrote. “It also reflects our own vulnerabilities and reminds us of the importance of giving and receiving empathy, as well as just how much we need each other in spite of our differences.”The princess then opened up about the importance of love, in a message that many will read as a personal insight into her own personal development this year, as well as how her own family helped her through her chemotherapy treatment. “Above all else,” she wrote of the Christmas story, “it encourages us to turn to love, not fear.

The love that we show ourselves and the love we show others. Love that listens with empathy, love that is kind and understanding, love that is forgiving, and love that brings joy and hope.”She added: ‘"It is this love which is the greatest gift we can receive.