Princess Kate has not been seen in public for six months. She celebrated her comeback at the birthday parade for King Charles III – and almost made people forget that she is still battling cancer.
She beams, she smiles, she waves: Princess Kate, who is suffering from cancer, has appeared in public for the first time. She took part in the birthday parade for King Charles III in London, also known as “Trooping the Colour”. Kate’s comeback after six months of absence – hardly any royal appearance in recent history has been more eagerly awaited.
The 42-year-old’s participation had been officially confirmed just one day earlier. In a personal letter, she said: “I am looking forward to attending the King’s Birthday Parade this weekend with my family and hope to make some public appearances over the course of the summer.” The palace published a photo to accompany Kate’s message, showing her standing in front of a tree and looking into the distance.
Royal observers assume that Kate deliberately chose the Trooping the Colour parade as the date for her return to the public eye. On the one hand, to show how important her family is to her, and on the other hand, to prevent her children from having to sit alone in the carriage.
Princess Kate drove to Buckingham Palace alongside Prince Louis and her husband
The first glimpse of the Princess of Wales was before the official parade began. Kate and her family drove to Buckingham Palace in a burgundy Bentley. Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte sat on one side, Princess Kate and Prince William on the other, with her older son Prince George between them. Kate looked thoughtful and lost in thought, dressed in a white dress with a striped bow, a matching hat and pearl earrings. The maritime look was picked up in Princess Charlotte’s outfit, who wore a dark blue dress with a sailor collar.
A little later, the royal carriages left the palace to make their way along the Mall to the parade ground, Horse Guards Parade. Kate and her three children sat together in one carriage. Anyone who had hoped to get an unobstructed view of the princess was somewhat disappointed: Due to the cold and rain, only closed carriages were used. Nevertheless, Kate could be seen laughing with her children at certain moments. George, Charlotte and Louis waved to the thousands of people lining the streets. The family then watched the parade, which lasted around an hour, not directly on the parade ground, but shielded from view in an adjacent building.
When she got out of the carriage, Kate looked flawless, as we are used to seeing her: a slim-fitting dress by Jenny Packham, elegant pumps, an elaborate braided hairstyle. It is not clear how the princess is really doing, because in her most recent message she also wrote: “I am making good progress, but as anyone going through chemotherapy knows, there are good days and bad days. On the bad days you feel weak and tired, and you need to allow your body to rest. But on the good days, when you feel stronger, you want to make the most of your well-being. My treatment is not yet complete and will continue for a few more months.”
Kate appears with the royal family on the balcony
The highlight of the parade is traditionally the moment when the whole family appears on the balcony of Buckingham Palace to watch the Royal Air Force air show. Kate was there again and stood right next to King Charles III. The monarch, who also suffers from cancer, appeared exhausted and moved at the end of the day. When the national anthem was played, Charles had tears in his eyes. Unlike his daughter-in-law, he had only withdrawn for six weeks. The 75-year-old, who is considered restless, has been taking on royal duties again since April.
It is not yet known when Kate will next be seen in public. The royal calendar is always full. Next week, for example, there is Garter Day, the official procession of the Order of the Garter, and the Royal Ascot horse race. These are events that the Princess of Wales has attended repeatedly in recent years. In her letter, the 42-year-old announced: “I hope to be able to make some public appearances over the course of the summer, but I also know that I am not out of the woods yet.”
Source: Stern
I am an author and journalist who has worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade. I currently work as a news editor at a major news website, and my focus is on covering the latest trends in entertainment. I also write occasional pieces for other outlets, and have authored two books about the entertainment industry.
