Princess Kate issued health warning as she eyes up three major events within weeks

Princess Kate has been urged to "pace herself" and ensure she plans a gradual return to royal duties for the sake of her health, the country and her family.

It comes after she undertook her first official meeting of the year on Tuesday, which has been widely welcomed as a good sign in the course of her cancer recovery.

The meeting at Windsor Castle came just eight days after she revealed she had completed her chemotherapy.

In an emotional video message, the Princess spoke of her relief that her "incredibly tough" treatment had come to an end and thanked the public for their "kindness, empathy and compassion" as the family faced dark times.

While Kate, 42, cautioned that the road to recovery would not be easy, she said she hopes to undertake "a few more public engagements in the coming months when I can".

However, Dickie Arbiter, who served as the late Queen's press spokesman from 1998 until 2000, said she shouldn't be pushing herself to return to work too soon.

"It will be a slow adjustment to getting back on duty and we mustn't expect anything mammoth overnight," he said.

"The fact that she had a meeting earlier this week is a good sign, a good sign that she is engaging with other people other than just her family."

But Mr Arbiter said that she mustn't feel rushed into a more fulsome schedule.

He said: "We shouldn't be pushing her and she certainly shouldn't be pushing herself to keep people happy that she is coming back, she will do it gradually and in her time ... She's not out of the woods yet and we must allow her to pace herself."

The former communications secretary added that any decisions about future engagements will be made on the advice of her medical team, adding: "It's not just about her, it's not just about the monarchy and the United Kingdom it is about her family as well."

Veteran royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams agreed and said: "It's extremely important for the future of the monarchy that she adopts a gradual approach and does what she feels able to do, subject of course to medical advice.

"When dealing with this deadly illness, she must do what she intends to do, 'stay cancer-free', as the only priority."

Sources have been keen to stress that the meeting about her early years project this week does not signal a full-time resumption of duties - and that won't come for some time.

The road ahead still needs to be carefully navigated, as her recovery is expected to extend into the new year even though her treatment has stopped.

"Although I have finished chemotherapy, my path to healing and full recovery is long and I must continue to take each day as it comes," the Princess said last week.

Over the coming weeks and months, Kate will work closely with her top team, namely her private secretary Tom White and assistant private secretary Natalie Burrows to meticulously plan her gradual return to public life.

She is set to slowly ease herself back into work and has her sights set on attending some public engagements over the coming months.

Key events in the royal diary are set to be prioritised, including Remembrance Sunday on November 10, at which Kate is keen to support the King and the rest of the Royal Family.

However, sources stressed that a final decision will only be made in the days before the event.

"Her physical and mental recovery will take some time, and although she wants to return to work she is mindful to prioritise her health, for her family's sake as much as hers," one said.

Mr Arbiter noted that the Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall the night before could also be a possibility.

The Princess is hopeful that she can attend her "Together at Christmas" carol service at Westminster Abbey in December and join the family for the traditional walkabout on Christmas Day.

She has already started working with her team on plans for the Carol Service, which has fast become an important component of her diary since the Princess launched the event in 2021.

A source close to the royal said she is keen to uphold the tradition with her family again this year, alongside other causes, issues and charities "that are closest to her heart".

The new year is set to follow a similar gradual return to royal duties, with aides mindful not to rush a resumption of a fuller diary.

Some have suggested that the six-month mark - which would suggest March - is a likely timescale of when the public can expect to see Kate attending more day-to-day engagements.

One well-placed source said the couple haven't ruled out rescheduling their visit to Rome, which was initially planned for spring 2024 but was postponed following the Princess's cancer diagnosis, to a similar time next year.

But as Kate cautioned in her message last week, "the cancer journey is complex, scary and unpredictable", so it is difficult to devise definitive plans during this period of uncertainty.