Trooping the Colour for King Charles III: Princess of Wales Kate Makes First Public Appearance in Six Months Following Cancer Diagnosis
Today, Princess Kate Middleton of Wales made her first public appearance in six months after being diagnosed with cancer. She rode in a carriage with her three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, the Daily Mail reports.
King Charles and Queen Camilla rode in a carriage in their royal procession ahead of the Princess of Wales.
King Charles looked excited as he fired the royal salute in his first Trooping the Colour since he was also diagnosed with cancer. The royal couple travelled slowly in a carriage as the monarch saluted and looked attentively at the Guardsmen who had gathered and lined up.
The King and Queen received a salute from the soldiers as they stood at the Horse Guards parade as they passed by in central London.
Ahead of the event, Princess Kate said in a statement: "I look forward to attending the King's Birthday Parade this weekend with my family and hope to join in a number of public events over the summer."
"I am learning to be patient, especially in times of uncertainty. I am taking each day as it comes, listening to my body and allowing myself to take the time I need to heal," Kate added.
The Princess of Wales said she has made "good progress" but "there are good days and bad days". "On those bad days you feel weak, tired and you need to give your body a rest. But on the good days, when you feel stronger, you want to make the most of how you feel."
She added that her treatment will continue for "a few more months".
Trooping the Colour has been held on the King's birthday for over 260 years. At the event, Company 9 of the Irish Guards, the regiment that Kate represents as a colonel, will carry the royal flag.
In a letter read out to the regiment last week, the Princess of Wales, who is undergoing chemotherapy, wrote to the Irish Guards to apologise for not being able to take the salute and wished them good luck. Lieutenant General Sir James Bucknell will accept the salute on her behalf.
The King, who is also being treated for cancer, will not be riding during the ceremony, but will instead watch the parade from the Ascot Landau crew. He first attended the parade at the age of three, riding in a carriage with his grandmother, Queen Mother Elizabeth.
