Kate Middleton returns to public life for the Trooping the Color parade

Princess Catherine of Wales reappeared this Saturday at the Trooping the Color military parade in London, after announcing yesterday that she is making “good progress” in her health, although she is not yet “out of danger.” Middleton has been photographed upon her arrival at Buckingham Palace, where she will wave from the balcony in the coming hours. After six months missing from public life, Prince William’s wife participates in this annual military event of the British royal family and, as she revealed yesterday in an open letter, despite the fact that her cancer treatment continues, she is ready to undertake a small number of public commitments in the coming months.

The last family event that the princess attended was the Christmas mass at Sandringham, after which she announced a “successful abdominal surgery” in January and, after two months of speculation, the princess revealed in March in a video that she was receiving “ preventive chemotherapy. The event chosen for her reappearance is the Trooping the Color parade, which, along with the state opening of the British Parliament, is the largest event in the Windsor ceremonial calendar, in which the official birthday of the British monarch is celebrated.

As planned, Charles III, who is also still receiving cancer treatment, reviewed the troops accompanied by his wife Camila from a carriage on medical advice. Last year, in the first parade presided over by him as monarch, he paraded the troops mounted on horseback and wearing the uniform of the Welsh Guards, the same one he has chosen for this occasion without including the characteristic tall, furry hat. This year a carriage was deemed more appropriate due to the king’s ongoing treatment and the length of the ceremony.

Although Charles III was born on November 14, the official birthday of the British monarch is celebrated on a Saturday in June due to a tradition inherited from the Georgian era that has to do with the vagaries of the English weather, but today it also rains in London. The Trooping the Color parade traditionally involves the British royal family gathering on the balcony of Buckingham Palace after a display of military pageantry down The Mall.

Enric Trias

While all members of the British royal family have canceled dozens of official commitments due to the general elections in the United Kingdom on July 4, Trooping the Color is not affected by the British royal family rule that establishes that in campaign electoral have to postpone or cancel events that could divert attention.

Each year one of the five regiments of the infantry guards is selected to parade with its banner and this year it was precisely the turn of the Irish Guards, of which the Princess of Wales is colonel-in-chief. Catalina apologized for missing the Trooping The Color rehearsal. Middleton wrote a letter to members of the regiment, who will present their colors to the King this year, saying: “I hope to be able to represent you all very soon.”

Regarding her day-to-day life in these months, missing from public life, Catalina confessed yesterday that she has had moments of everything: “On those bad days you feel weak, tired and you have to let your body rest. But on good days, when you feel stronger, you want to make the most of feeling good.” This reappearance should not be taken as the princess’s return to work, as she will not resume full-time public duties.

Trooping the Color has normally been held on a Saturday in June since 1959. From 1979 to 2017 it was always organized on a Saturday between June 11 and 17, but in 2018 it was held on June 9 and in 2019, on June 8 . During 2020 and 2021, a modified ceremony was held at Windsor Castle due to coronavirus restrictions. The following year, in 2022, it was celebrated on a Thursday to coincide the date, June 2, with the anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation and thus celebrate her platinum jubilee. In 2023, on June 17, the first parade presided over by Charles III as monarch took place.

Queen Elizabeth II attended the ceremony every year of her reign except 1955, when a national train strike forced it to be cancelled.