Since announcing that she was receiving treatment for cancer in March, Kate Middleton had been absent from public life. However, after announcing on Friday that she planned to attend Saturday’s Trooping of the Colour parade, the Princess of Wales made good on that promise.
Over the weekend, the Princess of Wales waved to onlookers from the balcony of Buckingham Palace flanked by her husband Prince William, as well as King Charles, who is also receiving treatment for an unspecified type of cancer. Middleton smiled throughout the parade, wearing a Jenny Packham dress with a Phillip Treacy hat, with her three children (Princess Charlotte and Princes George and Louis) at her side.
The appearance came a week after Middleton apologized for missing a rehearsal for the parade. In a letter to the Irish Guards, who led this year’s parade, Middleton — the Irish Guards’ honorary colonel — said she was sorry that she missed the regiment’s final preparations, known as the Colonel’s Review. Under normal circumstances, she would have saluted the troops at the review.
On Friday, Middleton wrote: “I’m looking forward to attending The King’s Birthday Parade this weekend with my family and hope to join a few public engagements over the summer, but equally knowing I am not out of the woods yet.” Here’s what to know about this year’s Trooping of the Colour.
What is the Trooping of the Colour, exactly?
The Trooping of the Colour is a military parade that goes back to the 17th century. It’s the official celebration of the reigning monarch’s birthday and, according to Buckingham Palace, more than 1,400 soldiers, 200 horses, and 400 musicians participate in various capacities in “a great display of military precision, horsemanship, and fanfare.”
Each year, the five regiments of the Household Division of the military rotate who presents their flag and leads the parade. This year is the Irish Guards’ turn to lead the parade through the streets of London. ABC describes the event as a “major” day on royals’ calendars.
Some of the most iconic photos of the royal family standing on the balcony at Buckingham Palace, watching as the Royal Air Force flies overhead, are from this celebration. It’s the same event where Prince Louis first showed off his perfect royal wave in 2019 and where he stole the show making silly faces last year.
Was Kate Middleton at this year’s event?
Middleton’s absence from Saturday’s rehearsal didn’t come as a shock since a palace official told the BBC last month that she wouldn’t be returning to work “until it’s cleared by her medical team,” and many fans held out hope that she’d still make an appearance at the parade this weekend. On Friday, Middleton announced on social media that she planned to attend the Trooping of the Colour. Come Saturday, she’d made her official return to public life, appearing next to King Charles in a display of solidarity.
The Princess of Wales also provided an update about her health alongside Friday’s newly released photo. “I am making good progress, but as anyone going through chemotherapy will know, there are good days and bad days,” Middleton wrote. “On those bad days you feel weak, tired and you have to give in to your body resting. But on the good days, when you feel stronger, you want to make the most of feeling well.”
After months away from the public eye, the parade marked Middleton’s first official appearance since last Christmas. In her statement, she wrote that while she is still in treatment, it’s only expected to continue for a few more months. “On the days I feel well enough, it is a joy to engage with school life, spend personal time on the things that give me energy and positivity, as well as starting to do a little work from home,” she added.
What about Harry and Meghan?
The Trooping of the Colour is typically attended by most of the royal family, especially senior royals and working members of the family. This is the second year in a row that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle haven’t been invited. This is also the second year that the event has been held in honor of King Charles III. Buckingham Palace confirmed that Charles will attend the event amid his own cancer treatment. In prior years, Charles has ridden a horse, but this year, he rode in a horse-drawn carriage with Queen Camilla, per the BBC.
This post has been updated.