The Princess of Wales joined the British royals at King Charles’ birthday parade, marking her first public outing with the royals since Christmas.
Kate Middleton was a welcomed sight at Trooping the Colour, making her first royal outing since Christmas amid her cancer diagnosis.
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The Princess of Wales, 42, joined the royal family at King Charles’ birthday parade on June 15. After arriving at Buckingham Palace by car with her family, she took part in the procession by riding in a horse-drawn carriage through London with her three children: Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6.
Sporting a white dress by Jenny Packham, adorned with the Irish Guards Regimental Brooch and paired with a hat by Philip Treacy, the royal mom and kids traveled in the Glass Coach, shielding them from the rainy weather. The Glass Coach, built in 1881 and purchased for King George V’s coronation in 1911, has seen many historical moments, like bringing Princess Anne to her wedding in 1973 and Princess Diana in 1981.
Princess Kate has attended Trooping the Colour every year since marrying Prince William in 2011, except for 2020 and 2021 when the event was scaled down due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Princess Kate’s attendance at the King’s annual birthday parade was confirmed the day prior as she released a new photo and personal letter updating her health. After undergoing abdominal surgery in January, the royal shared in an emotional video released on March 22 that post-operative tests led to a cancer diagnosis and that she is undergoing chemotherapy.
“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,” she said in the June 14 message.
Her appearance at Trooping the Colour was the first time she stepped out for a royal event since December when she joined the family at their annual Christmas church visit. Kate made several outings that month, including hosting her third annual Christmas carol concert and wearing a tiara for the Diplomatic Reception at Buckingham Palace.
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While Princess Kate has kept a low public profile since her cancer announcement to focus on recovery, she has been spotted with her family and running errands solo, sources told PEOPLE. In a June 14 message, the Princess of Wales said she is “starting to do a little work from home” and “hopes to join a few public engagements over the summer,” although no date is set for her to fully return to her royal duties. Any future outings will depend on her health and her medical team’s guidance.
Princess Kate did not attend the Colonel’s Review, the final rehearsal for Trooping the Colour that took place one week prior on June 8. She is the honorary Colonel of the Irish Guards, who are leading this year’s celebration (only one flag can be trooped at a time, so the five regiments of the Foot Guards — Grenadier, Coldstream, Scots, Irish, and Welsh — rotate annually). The Princess would typically take the salute at the Colonel’s Review, but on May 30, the palace announced she would not be carrying out this duty. Instead, Lieutenant General James Bucknall, a former Commander of the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps who has attended every Trooping the Colour since 2009 when he was appointed Colonel of the Coldstream Guards, took the salute at the rehearsal event.
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In a letter shared with the Irish Guards, Kate expressed, “Being your colonel remains a great honor, and I am very sorry that I’m unable to take the salute at this year’s Colonel’s Review. Please pass my apologies to the whole Regiment, however, I do hope that I am able to represent you all once again very soon. Please send my very best wishes and good luck to all involved.”
She signed the letter “Colonel Catherine.”
Amid his own cancer diagnosis and treatment, King Charles attended Trooping the Colour with a slight change from previous years. Although the monarch, 75, previously appeared on horseback in the procession, this time he rode in a horse-drawn carriage alongside Queen Camilla.
The King recently resumed a fuller schedule of royal duties, including public outings.
