Kate Middleton's Emotional Return to Royal Walkabouts: 'She Seemed So Happy to Be with Us Again' (Exclusive)

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"She was as genuine and close to people as I remembered," Louis Beauchamp, a teacher from Paris, tells PEOPLE

Kate Middleton's return to greeting the public on Christmas Day was a poignant moment, not just for her, but for the many who had been eagerly awaiting her comeback after a difficult year. 

For the first time since her cancer diagnosis and subsequent chemotherapy, the Princess of Wales, 42, stepped back into the public eye alongside the royal family for their annual Christmas Day walk to St. Mary Magdalene Church at Sandringham. The outing marked a poignant return to royal duties, as it was the first time Kate had interacted with the public since her last appearance on Christmas Day the previous year.

The walk, which had become one of her most beloved royal traditions, took on a profound significance this year, marking a return to normalcy after months of health challenges. In January, Kate revealed she had undergone a planned abdominal surgery and would take time away from the public eye to recover. However, following the surgery, she received the news that she had cancer, extending her time out of the spotlight as she began chemotherapy and focused on her healing. In September, Kate shared that she had completed her chemotherapy treatment, but emphasized, "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."

Related: All the Best Photos from Kate Middleton's Christmas Morning with George, Charlotte and Louis!

Her presence on Christmas Day, alongside Prince William and their children — Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6 — was both comforting and uplifting as she warmly interacted with well-wishers, receiving hugs, handshakes and heartfelt Christmas wishes. 

Kate's connection with the public was palpable, as she engaged with each person. There was a clear sense of joy and relief in her demeanor — her face lighting up as she smiled and chatted with the crowd.

"I think I've lost my family!" she quipped at one point to the crowd as she realized that she was the last royal family member left on the walkabout. 

William and their children were several yards away, waiting for Kate to finish so they could return to Sandringham for their Christmas lunch. It was a moment that harkened back to Kate's signature style — always happy to linger with the people who come out to see her, even when it means she's the last to leave.

"There's a real art to walkabouts, everybody teases me in the family that I spend far too long chatting," Kate had once admitted during an interview for a documentary honoring Queen Elizabeth on her 90th birthday. "I still have to learn a little bit more, and to pick up a few more tips, I suppose."

One of the many who benefitted from Kate's personal touch on Christmas was Louis Beauchamp, a teacher from Paris who had traveled to Sandringham specifically to see Kate. Beauchamp had met Kate for the first time in May 2023 ahead of the King's coronation, when she and Prince William visited a pub for a walkabout. 

"I had an unforgettable interaction with Catherine," Beauchamp tells PEOPLE. "She told me she was trying to get her kids to speak more French and urged me to keep up the hard work with my students."

"Unfortunately, when she announced she was suffering from cancer, I knew we would not be seeing her in public for a very long time," he continues. "Sandringham was the best opportunity for me. So, I booked a trip and went there to show I was still there to support her and always will."

Beauchamp, who teaches English in France and has been inspired by the princess's Early Years work, had a special gift for Kate — a scarf he had made for in Morocco, along with a heartfelt letter about the "positive impact she has had on my life over the years," he says. When he handed it to her, Kate thanked him for his kindness. 

"She thanked me very much and said it was wonderful and so kind of me to have come again," he shares. "She was as genuine and close to people as I remembered. She seemed so happy to be with us again. You could tell she was truly touched."

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Another well-wisher, 73-year-old Karen Maclean, who has endured cancer for over 20 years, shared a heartfelt exchange with both Kate and King Charles.

"We just had a little talk about cancer," she told Sky News, noting the warm connection she shared with the Princess of Wales. Kate gave Maclean a hug as she learned the woman had traveled all the way from North Lincolnshire for the occasion.

She noted that both Kate and King Charles, who was also diagnosed with cancer earlier this year, appeared "very well actually, considering what they're going through."

As for her embrace from the princess, she added, "What a privilege."