Princess Kate was supported by her "royal sister" during her return to duties

The Princess of Wales has returned to the spotlight, making her grand return to duty with two consecutive days of royal engagements over the weekend.

The 42-year-old mother of three has been keeping a low profile in 2024, following her cancer diagnosis earlier this year. And now, having completed her chemotherapy treatment, she is starting to scale up her workload, taking "baby steps" as she returns.

This weekend marked a major step in the Princess of Wales' recovery, attending both the Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall on Saturday, and the Cenotaph memorial on Sunday - her first public engagements since completing her treatment.

The royal family is sure to have rallied around Princess Kate to make her return to duty as easy as possible. And according to experts, it's no surprise that she was positioned next to close confidante and "royal sister" Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh.

The two royal women stood next to each other on the Buckingham Palace balcony on Sunday to watch the wreath laying at the foot of the Cenotaph memorial. And at the end of the proceedings, Sophie Wessex was seen placing a supportive hand on Princess Kate's back, with royal experts describing their bond as "sisterly".

"I think William and Kate feel they can confide in Sophie - a rarity when there are so few people a royal can trust with their thoughts and feelings," former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond previously explained to OK!.

"She is so easy to be with - which is clearly something William appreciates. It’s the same for Kate, as even though they are of two different generations, they seem more like sisters. I am certain Sophie has been an enormous support and guide for her in what is a complex and unique world."

Well, this is lovely.