Princess Kate Middleton shared a heartfelt message with the Irish Guards, expressing her regret for her upcoming absence at the Trooping the Colour ceremony.
“I wanted to extend my warmest wishes and deepest regrets for not being able to join you at this year’s Colonel’s Review and Trooping the Colour,” Kate, 42, wrote in a letter shared via the Irish Guards’ X page on June 8th. “I am incredibly proud of the entire Regiment and all that you have accomplished.”
She continued, “I know that everyone taking part has been diligently preparing for months, and I am saddened that I will not be able to witness your hard work and dedication in person. Please accept my apologies and know that I will be thinking of you all.”
As the honorary Colonel of the Irish Guards, Kate expressed her “heartfelt gratitude” and wished the soldiers the “best of luck” for the upcoming festivities.
The British royal family is preparing for one of their most significant events of the year. Trooping the Colour is a grand military parade and a chance for the royals to gather on the Buckingham Palace balcony, celebrating the monarch’s birthday. The June 2023 event marked a special occasion as it was […]
Princess Kate Middleton joins King Charles III, Queen Camilla, and other royals on the Buckingham Palace balcony for Trooping the Colour 2023.
Chris Jackson/Getty Images
Trooping the Colour, an annual celebration of King Charles III‘s birthday, will take place on June 15th. The King, who is currently undergoing treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer, will observe the military parade and flypast from the Buckingham Palace balcony, accompanied by his wife, Queen Camilla, son Prince William, and other members of the royal family.
Princess Kate, who has also been battling cancer, confirmed her diagnosis in March and is currently undergoing a round of preventative chemotherapy treatment. She has stepped back from public duties to focus on her health and recovery.
Princess Kate chose to share her cancer diagnosis on her own terms, taking a step back from public duties to focus on her health. Her last official appearance before her break was in December 2023, and in January, Kensington Palace confirmed that she would not be participating in any royal engagements until after April at the earliest.
“William and I have been managing this privately, taking time to process and deal with it as a family,” Kate said in a statement. “I am well and getting stronger every day, focusing on the things that bring me joy and comfort, including spending time with my loved ones and taking care of myself.”
Princess Kate, who shares three children with Prince William, has canceled all public duties to focus on her health. The palace confirmed in March that she will only resume her royal engagements once she receives medical clearance from her physicians.
“[Kate’s team is] reassessing her responsibilities and commitments,” a source revealed to Us Weekly. “She may never return to the same level of public duties as before.”
Meanwhile, Prince William has continued his solo engagements and has assured the public that his wife is “doing well” during her treatment.
