The Princess of Wales made a triumphant return to public life for the first time in six months on Saturday, attending Trooping the Colour to celebrate the King’s birthday.
Kate appeared in high spirits, joking with Charles and supported by her husband and three children, as they all took to the Buckingham Palace balcony to watch the traditional flypast.
From the first glimpses of the princess emerging from her car, she was full of smiles and waves.
Kate, 42, is currently undergoing preventative chemotherapy after revealing in March that she was receiving treatment for the disease, which was discovered after abdominal surgery in January.
When she finally emerged behind the King and Queen on Saturday, the crowds cheered and whistled before watching the Red Arrows fly past in the King’s honour.
Kate appeared in an upbeat mood and, at one point, whispered something in King Charles’ ear that made the monarch chuckle.
And she could not contain her own laughter when she saw Prince Louis break out into a little jig during the quick march of the Scots Guards to Highland Laddie at the window at the Duke of Wellington’s former office.
The event began at 10am, with the Princess initially appearing to look apprehensive as she gazed out of a steamy window of their car. The heavens opened on The Mall, where people had waited for hours to catch a glimpse of the reunited royal family.
Backstage footage video released by Buckingham Palace showed Kate fiddling with Princess Charlotte’s hair as they waited to board the glass horse-drawn carriage without Prince William, who was forced to brave the elements on horseback behind his father.
King Charles, himself recovering from a shock cancer diagnosis, was unable to ride horseback as is tradition, opting for another gentle carriage ride with his wife Queen Camilla.
The Princess of Wales dazzled in a bold white Jenny Packham dress with black detail, and a white angled hat by Philip Treacy. She was last seen in this outfit in May 2023 during the King’s coronation weekend.
Kate’s appearance had been in doubt until the last-minute announcement on Friday afternoon that she was going to attend the Trooping the Colour event.
In a candid statement released on Friday, Kate outlined her cancer journey admitting she is experiencing “good days and bad days” and stressing: “I am not out of the woods yet.”
She said: “I have been blown away by all the kind messages of support and encouragement over the last couple of months. It really has made the world of difference to William and me and has helped us both through some of the harder times.
“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.
“Thank you so much for your continued understanding, and to all of you who have so bravely shared your stories with me.”
But she has begun to work from home, undertaking meetings with her foundation and Kensington Palace team, and hopes to join a few public engagements over the summer.
Her decision to choose a major national event on Saturday to return briefly to the public spotlight, the first time since Christmas Day, has been welcomed by the King.
The princess’s public appearance at the parade and Trooping the Colour is her first official outing of 2024 after she missed engagements at the start of the year when she was admitted to hospital on 16 January.
Trooping the Colour will not mark the start of a return to full-time duties, and Kate has no plans to attend the Garter Day service on Monday or Royal Ascot, as she is still undergoing treatment, with the royal appearing to indicate in her statement it will last until the end of summer.
