Kate Middleton and Prince William Are 'Happy for People to See Them Be Touchy-Feely' (Exclusive)

Kate Middleton and Prince William are typically known for keeping their public displays of affection to a minimum, but lately, the couple have been sharing glimpses into their private connection.

From a romantic photo shared to mark Valentine's Day to sweetly holding hands during a recent visit to Wales, the Prince and Princess of Wales have not been shy about their love for each other as Kate returns to her royal role one year after she revealed her cancer diagnosis. Most recently, the couple attended the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey on March 10, where William, 42, and Kate, 43, were spotted leaning in close, exchanging glances and laughing together.

"They are happy for people to see them be touchy-feely," royal expert and biographer Ingrid Seward tells PEOPLE in this week's cover story. "They’re in a different phase of their life now. William is very protective and very proud of her for coming through this and carrying on with her life."

On March 22, 2024, Princess Kate revealed her cancer news to the world in an emotional video message, sharing that she had begun chemotherapy. She and Prince William had chosen to keep the diagnosis private at first, giving them time to prepare their children — Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6 — for the difficult road ahead.

"William and I have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family," Kate said at the time.

Her message also expressed gratitude to her husband: "Having William by my side is a great source of comfort and reassurance too," she said. "As is the love, support and kindness that has been shown by so many of you. It means so much to us both."

Shortly before Kate's announcement, it was also revealed that King Charles had also been diagnosed with cancer in 2024.

The couple's former private secretary Jason Knauf said in a rare interview with 60 Minutes Australia, "If you’re Prince William, you find out that both your wife and your father have cancer."

It was, he added, “absolutely awful...the lowest I’ve ever seen him.”

The Prince of Wales himself reflected on that difficult time while speaking to reporters in Cape Town during his Earthshot Prize visit in Nov. 2024.

"Trying to get through everything else and keep everything on track has been really difficult,” he said. “I’m so proud of my wife, I’m proud of my father, for handling the things that they have done. But from a personal family point of view, it’s been, yeah, it’s been brutal.”

Princess Kate announced in January that she was in remission and has returned to public duties, both solo and with her husband. In a video taken by Ellie Flockton and shared by fan accounts, Princess Kate seemed to briefly address her cancer diagnosis and treatment during the couple's visit to Wales on Feb. 26, calling William "amazing" throughout the ordeal.

Recent years have seen the Prince and Princess of Wales navigate turbulence stemming from the departure of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the COVID pandemic, the deaths of Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth and the devastating cancer diagnoses of both Kate and King Charles. Through it all, William has remained by Kate’s side as a steady source of strength.

Royal historian Amanda Foreman tells PEOPLE, "There is a sense of protectiveness and partnership...And just in time, frankly — if there was ever a time when the country required stability, this is it. The international stage is so unstable, it is rather extraordinary to see how both have risen to the occasion.”

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Over the weekend, Prince William and Princess Kate spent a lighthearted afternoon watching Wales take on England in rugby on March 15, and Kate made a meaningful solo appearance on March 17 to fulfill an annual tradition—handing out St. Patrick’s Day shamrocks to the Irish Guards, for which she serves as honorary colonel. The moment was particularly poignant, as she had been forced to miss the engagement last year.

Occasions like these are being cherished, says royal biographer Robert Hardman: “There is definitely a feeling of resetting the dial — of being back.”

Adds Ailsa Anderson, a former press secretary to Queen Elizabeth: “Fast-forward, and what a difference a year makes. She’s even more beloved in the nation’s hearts than she was.”