Making a comeback. Kate Middleton’s Trooping the Colour appearance marked her first public outing in nearly six months since she started cancer treatments, and royal followers around the world were thrilled to see her return to the family fold.
The annual Trooping the Colour ceremony took place on June 15, 2024. The event, celebrating King Charles III’s birthday, saw the princess riding in a carriage with her three kids—Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6—on their way to watch the king’s birthday parade. Later during the celebration, Kate joined her husband Prince William on the Buckingham Palace balcony, where they watched over the festivities alongside their kids, King Charles, and Queen Camilla.
During the event, Kate wore a white Jenny Packham dress with a black trim and a white and black ribbon bow at the neckline. Her hair was perfectly styled under a white-rimmed hat, adding plenty of elegance to her look.
Ahead of the exciting day, the Kensington Palace Instagram account also gave us a peek behind the scenes with some endearing videos of the family preparing for the event. One clip shows Kate gently playing with Charlotte’s hair, while another captures Louis waving from inside the carriage.
The Trooping the Colour event marked Kate’s first royal appearance since she shared some difficult health news back in March. At the time, the Princess of Wales revealed she had been diagnosed with cancer and was undergoing preventative chemotherapy. Her last public outing was nearly six months ago at the family’s Christmas church service in December.
There were mixed reports about whether or not Kate would end up attending Trooping the Colour, but after weeks of speculation, the princess confirmed the news herself. In a statement on June 14, 2024, Kate revealed she would attend the event after all, offering the first update on her health since March 2024. She said, “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. I am learning how to be patient, especially with uncertainty. Taking each day as it comes, listening to my body and allowing myself to take this much needed time to heal.”
Kate continued, “I am making good progress, but as anyone going through chemotherapy will know, there are good days and bad days. 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.” The Princess of Wales also mentioned that her treatment would continue for “a few more months.”
While Kate hasn’t disclosed the specific type of cancer she’s facing, she first shared the news of her diagnosis in a video message in March 2023. Doctors discovered the cancer after she underwent abdominal surgery in January 2023. In her original announcement, Kate expressed her dedication to her royal duties, saying, “My work has always brought me a deep sense of joy and I look forward to being back when I am able, but for now I must focus on making a full recovery.”
