PALACE CONFIDENTIAL: Is Kate going to seem at Trooping the Colour?
A royal expert has suggested the Princess of Wales could appear on the Buckingham Palace balcony at Trooping the Colour on Saturday.
Kate, 42, who is undergoing cancer treatment, did not attend the Colonel’s Review on June 8 – which is the traditional rehearsal for the sovereign’s official birthday parade.
But Rebecca English, Royal Editor at the Daily Mail, suggested to this week’s Palace Confidential that an appearance from the mother-of-three at this weekend’s event in London, should not be completely ruled out.
‘I think watch this space,’ said the expert, adding: ‘What’s very interesting, is that when I’ve asked both Kensington Palace and Buckingham Palace about it this week, it’s been not saying a word.’
She continued: ‘I mean look, if she is there. Fantastic. People will be delighted to see her. If she isn’t, don’t’ read anything into it because she never said she would be. I think it will be a bonus.’
King Charles III and Queen Camilla wave alongside Prince William, Prince Louis, the Princess of Wales, Princess Charlotte and Prince George on the Buckingham Palace balcony during Trooping the Colour on June 17, 2023 in London
Earlier in the show, Rebecca had explained how the King, 75, who is also undergoing cancer treatment, is set to attend Trooping the Colour.
‘It’s great that [the King] is going to there,’ she said. ‘Queen Camilla will be there, we’ll have Prince Edward, Princess Anne, Prince of Wales on horseback, we’ll have all the pomp and pageantry, but it’s just going to be in a slightly more comfortable way for him.’
‘For me, actually, the big question is whether the Princess of Wales will be there on the balcony afterwards, that is a rumour that just hasn’t gone away over the last few weeks.
‘She’s made very clear, “look when my doctors say I’m ready to dip my toe back in, I will happily do that”, but it’s certainly been a persistent rumour.
‘I spoke to somebody a few weeks ago and said “what do you think?” And they said, “I wouldn’t count on it”.
‘But it hasn’t gone away, and what’s very interesting, is that when I’ve asked both Kensington Palace and Buckingham Palace about it this week, it’s been not saying a word.’
MailOnline has contacted both Kensington Palace and Buckingham Palace.
Rebecca English (pictured), Royal Editor at the Daily Mail, suggested to this week’s Palace Confidential that an appearance from the mother-of-three at this weekend’s event should not be completely ruled out
Kate and her family attend the Christmas Day service at St Mary Magdalene Church on December 25, 2023 in Sandringham
Last Saturday, Kate apologised for missing out on a key rehearsal for Trooping The Colour.
The Princess of Wales wrote a letter to the Irish Guards, who are presenting their colours to the King this year, saying: ‘I hope I am able to represent you all very soon’.
Insiders have long emphasised that every cancer ‘journey’ is individual and believe speculation over whether Kate will attend key events such a trooping create unnecessary pressure at a time when she has asked for space and privacy.
It means the Princess of Wales will miss what would have been her first Colonel’s Review, which had been due to take place today.
The event is a dress rehearsal for Trooping The Colour and would have seen her take the salute as the new Colonel-in-Chief of the Irish Guards.
The Princess of Wales has wrote a letter to the Irish Guards, saying: ‘I hope I am able to represent you all very soon’
Kate has said ‘please pass my apologies to the whole regiment’ for missing the Colonel’s Review
The Royal Family takes part in the Trooping the Colour on June 17, 2023
The Irish Guards (pictured) have responded to the Princess’s letter on Twitter saying they were ‘deeply touched’ to receive it and ‘wish her well in her recovery and send her our very best wishes’
An Irish Wolfhound, the regimental mascot of the Irish Guards, takes part in the Colonel’s Review
Guards line up in front of the Buckingham Palace Gates as part of today’s ceremony for the King’s official birthday
A guard is pictured saluting at the Colonel’s Review parade on June 8 which is part of the Trooping the Colour ceremony
A wide view of The Mall during today’s event which saw guards play instruments and Union Jacks line the streets
Two guards watch on as today’s rehearsal for Trooping the Colour unfolded in London
The Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment proceed up the mall on horseback as thousands watch on today
The Mall looked resplendent as The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery were next to make their way along
Band of the Household Cavalry seen up close as they take part in the Colonel’s Review on June 8
Participants on horseback pictured in front of Buckingham Palace on a cloudy June day for the rehearsal
One guard fixes another’s bearskin during today’s Colonel’s Review in London
Well-drilled guards take part in the Colonel’s Review at Horseguards Parade in central London as spectators watch on
Participants in the ceremonial event pictured up close
The event took place at Horseguards Parade today, a week before the Trooping the Colour ceremony
Participants in the Colonel’s Review on June 8 lined up in a uniform row
The Colonel’s Review comes before the King’s official birthday celebrations on Saturday June 15, including their traditional Buckingham Palace balcony appearance.
The Colonel’s Review is identical to The King’s Birthday Parade, with the exception that some additional mounted officers ride on the latter.
Taking part will be over 1400 soldiers of the Household Division and The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery, including 400 musicians from the Massed Bands, all of whom will parade on Horse Guards for the second of two formal Reviews.
The Colonel’s Review also includes 250 soldiers from the Foot Guards who will line the processional route along The Mall.
The Irish Guards have responded to the Princess’s letter on Twitter, writing: ‘The Irish Guards were deeply touched to receive a letter from our Colonel, Her Royal Highness, The Princess of Wales this morning.
‘We continue to wish Her Royal Highness well in her recovery and send her our very best wishes.’
Meanwhile Buckingham Palace did confirm last week the Daily Mail’s exclusive story in March that King Charles planned to attend Trooping and review the soldiers from a carriage, on doctor’s advice, with Queen Camilla.
He has previously taken part on horseback but it has been deemed prudent, given the length of the ceremony and the unpredictable weather, for him to be seated in an Ascot landau.
His Majesty is still undergoing treatment for his own unspecified cancer diagnosis.
He has now been given permission by his doctors to undertake more forward-facing public duties, although officials have stressed they need to carefully review each potential engagement, with adaptations made where necessary to prioritise his recovery.
A British military guard wearing a leather purse takes part in the Colonel’s Review at Horseguards Parade
A member of the Household Cavalry on a white horse is pictured watching the march at Horseguards on Saturday
British military regiments prepare their roles ahead of next week’s Trooping the Colour ceremony
Each year the event acts as a dress rehearsal for the main Trooping the Colour event, which will take place next Saturday
The King’s carriage takes part in the Colonel’s Review at Horseguards Parade in central London as a guard salutes
The King’s carriage passes the Guards Memorial at Horseguards Parade today as a dress rehearsal for Trooping the Colour
Members of the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery follow artillery weapons along Horseguards Parade today
The participants turn their heads to the right in time as part of the ceremony in London
Hundreds of members of British military regiments pictured practicing their roles for next week’s event in today’s rehearsal
A guard holds a staff in front of rows of fellow participants as they march down The Mall for the Colonel’s Review on June 8
Union flags line the mall as participants prepare their roles for next week’s Trooping the Colour
The Irish Wolfhound pictured being led around Horseguards as part of today’s ceremony
Spectators bathe in the London sunlight today as well-drilled military personnel put on the show
One guard leads the rest in the Colonel’s Review in London this afternoon
Members of the event play the bagpipes while others play the drums on Saturday
Trombone players at Horseguards perform in the dress rehearsal for Trooping the Colour
British honour guards perform during the The Colonel’s Review parade in London today
A wide shot of the Mall as the weather brightened up in central London this afternoon
Crowds of military personnel on horseback cram in front of the Buckingham Palace gates today
The event was a dress rehearsal for next week’s Trooping the Colour ceremony
The carriage makes its way back down the Mall during the event
Members of the Household Cavalry ride on horses as they take part in the Colonel’s review rehearsal for Trooping the Colour, in honour of the official birthday of Britain’s King Charles, in London today
Members of the Grenadier Guards take part in the Colonel’s review rehearsal for Trooping the Colour today
Irish Guards mascot Turlough Mor (Seamus) takes part in the Colonel’s review rehearsal for Trooping the Colour
The band of the Irish Guards play during the Colonel’s Review today
The band of the Grenadier Guards play during the Colonel’s Review on Horse Guards Parade
Members of the Grenadier Guards take part in the parade
Members of the Household Cavalry ride on horses during the parade today
The Colonel’s Review comes before the King’s official birthday celebrations on Saturday June 15, including their traditional Buckingham Palace balcony appearance
Members of the Household Cavalry, with Irish Guards mascot Turlough Mor (Seamus) in front, take part in the parade
Taking part will be over 1400 soldiers of the Household Division and The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery, including 400 musicians from the Massed Bands, all of whom will parade on Horse Guards
Members of the Grenadier Guards (top) take part in the Colonel’s Review on Horse Guards Parade
Members of the Household Cavalry ride on horses during the Colonel’s review today
While palace officials have been forced to cancel a number of public engagements in light of the General Election, key national and ceremonial events such as Trooping are not affected
While palace officials have been forced to cancel a number of public engagements in light of the General Election, key national and ceremonial events such as Trooping are not affected.
Earlier this year on March 5, the Ministry of Defence removed a claim made on its website that Kate would attend events to mark Trooping the Colour.
Details of her cancer have not been disclosed but she has said that she was having ‘preventative chemotherapy’.
Kensington Palace said it is confident the princess will make a full recovery.
Trooping the Colour traditionally involves the royal family gathering on the balcony of Buckingham Palace after a display of pomp and military pageantry.
Usually the monarch rides down from Buckingham Palace to Horse Guards Parade via The Mall to inspect the troops. He then rides back to the palace for the traditional balcony appearance with the wider Royal Family and flypast by the RAF.
2023 — Glorious scenes down the Mall during Trooping the Colour in London on June 17, 2023
2022 — William, Kate and their children attend Trooping the Colour in London on June 2, 2022
2021 — Trooping the Colour was held at Windsor Castle in front of the Queen on June 12, 2021
2019 — William and Kate at Trooping the Colour with their children in London on June 8, 2019
2017 — Philip speaks to William and Kate at Trooping The Colour in London on June 17, 2017
Earlier this year on March 5, the Ministry of Defence removed a claim made on its website that Kate would attend events to mark Trooping the Colour. Tickets had gone on sale via the Army website in March advertising Kate reviewing a ‘practice’ parade for the first time on June 8 in her role as honorary colonel of the Irish Guards
But within minutes of the tickets going on sale, there were warnings that the MoD may have ‘jumped the gun’ on Kate’s attendance
Earlier this year on March 5, the Ministry of Defence removed a claim made on its website that Kate would attend events to mark Trooping the Colour.
Tickets had gone on sale via the Army website advertising Kate reviewing a ‘practice’ parade for the first time on June 8 in her role as honorary colonel of the Irish Guards.
It also announced that Charles would be reviewing his own official birthday parade on June 15 at Horse Guards.
But within minutes of the tickets going on sale, there were warnings that the MoD may have ‘jumped the gun’.
Kensington Palace sources made clear that they were ‘not consulted’ on the MoD announcement and said that any confirmed attendance by the Princess would be made ‘only’ by themselves.
Buckingham Palace also confirmed at the time that planning for future engagements was continuing despite the King’s cancer treatment, yet stressed that changes could be made nearer the time depending on his health.
The confusion added to a sense of unease around the Royal Family at that point, over fears that two of its most senior members would be largely out of action for substantial periods.
Horses drag artillery with the Mall pictured in the background at today’s event
London Eye pictured in the background as participants in today’s Colonel’s Review march in time
Guards check their instrument-playing is in time ahead of next week’s celebration of The King’s official birthday
Guards march in time with union flags in the background
Rows of honour guards pictured at the Colonel’s Review with the palace gates seen in the background
Participants march in front of Buckingham Palace in today’s dress rehearsal for next week
An Irish Wolfhound is led in front of the rest of the party at Horseguards this afternoon
A glimpse of Big Ben can be seen in the background as spectators cheer on today’s participants
A guard barks orders at some colleagues at this afternoon’s event at Horseguards
Guards play their instruments to practice for next weekend’s big event where Charles is expected to observe in a carriage
Princess Kate apologised in writing for being unable to attend today’s ceremony in London amid her recovery from cancer
One royal fan held up a lifesize cutout of Kate on the sidelines of the big ceremony at Horseguards today
Spectators crammed the streets to get a glimpse of the well-drilled military personnel at the event this afternoon
The sun started breaking through in London today as Household Cavalry and other guards led the dress rehearsal
Police officers watch over Buckingham Palace on the day of the Colonel’s Review ceremony
Flags of other nations are raised as guards blow trombones in the complex military drill
Spectators are instructed to be seated to watch the soldiers on parade this afternoon
The King’s Cipher is pictured on a saddlecloth during the Colonel’s Review on Horse Guards Parade in London
The guards look to their right as they march on Horseguards for the big dress rehearsal for the King’s official birthday
Household Cavalry ride in unison as part of today’s ceremony in London
The carefully choreographed event wowed spectators at Horseguards this afternoon
Royal fans will be hoping the drill goes as smoothly for the official celebration next Saturday
One member of the royal military personnel looks on as the ceremony unfolds in London
Today’s events were witnessed by thousands of royal fans in central London
The King will watch on next week in the royal carriage – a departure from his decision last year to ride horseback
The band of the Household Cavalry take part in the Colonel’s Review on Horse Guards Parade
The Colonel’s Review ceremony today acted as a dress rehearsal for Trooping the Colour next week
Flags were held out as part of the military event which took place in London this afternoon
Members of the Household Division take part in the Colonel’s Review on Horse Guards Parade in London on June 8
The band of the Scots Guards play during the Colonel’s Review on Horse Guards Parade in London today
Guards line up for the Colonel’s Review in London on June 8
A wide view of the various participants in today’s event at Horseguards
Drum players and other guards pictured in front of the Guards Memorial during the Colonel’s Review this afternoon
Guards practice their instruments in anticipation of next week’s proper celebration of Charles’s official birthday
The event went smoothly which will hopefully prove a good sign for next Saturday’s show
Guards carefully rehearsed their instrument playing to the delight of royal fans
The ceremony comes amid a gradual return to royal duties on the King’s part
Kate was not at today’s event but expressed her desire to ‘represent’ royal fans in the future
Horses and carriage gallop out of Buckingham Palace this afternoon during the Colonel’s Review
A member of the Household Cavalry stands during the Colonel’s review rehearsal show on June 8
Household Cavalry members ride on horseback past the iconic Buckingham Palace today
The stand-ins for the royal members during the Colonel’s Review, the final dress rehearsal ahead of the Trooping the Colour ceremony
The ceremony went as planned and impressed thousands of spectators in London today
A lone member of the Household Cavalry arrives at Buckingham Palace during the Colonel’s review rehearsal for Trooping the Colour
Shoulder badge detail on the uniform of a participant in today’s event in London
The Irish Wolfhound wowed royal fans along with plenty of human participants at today’s dress rehearsal
Pictured: Kate on her last public appearance with her family on Christmas day 2023 at church in Sandringham
In March, Kensington Palace released the first picture of the Princess of Wales since surgery
The London clinic, where Catherine had treatment after her diagnosis earlier this year
Kate with Louis and Charlotte in May 2023 as they helped renovate and improve the 3rd Upton Scouts Hut in Slough
The mother-of-three (pictured in June 2023) has apologised for not attending the Colonel’s Review today – which is the traditional rehearsal for Trooping the Colour, held on June 15
This also came before Kate revealed in an emotional video on March 23 that she was undergoing treatment for cancer.
At that point, Kate was recuperating from what was described as ‘planned abdominal surgery’ and it was seen as unlikely that she would return to duties until after Easter.
Until her cancer announcement, her absence from public events and the scant detail given about her condition and recuperation had led to wild social media conspiracy theories about what might be wrong with her.
She made clear that she needed to focus on both her recovery but also supporting her young children at a difficult time, asking for her family to be given time and space while she completed her treatment.
Although there has been no official update on her health since, The Mail understands that the princess has been seen out and about more with her family in recent weeks, which will be taken as a positive sign by many.
However earlier this week Kensington Palace stressed that she very much still needs time and space to recover.
The regiment previously said it was is ‘so proud’ to have the Princess of Wales (pictured visiting the 1st Battalion Irish Guards on March 2023) as Colonel of the Irish Guards and sent their ‘best wishes’ to Kate
Lieutenant Colonel James Shaw (pictured), Brigade Major of the Household Division, designed this year’s Trooping spectacle
Troops of the Household Division take part in the Brigade Major’s Review in London on May 30
Queen Elizabeth II attended Trooping the Colour in a carriage after 1987.
The Royal Family postponed engagements ‘which may appear to divert attention or distract from the election campaign’ after Rishi Sunak last week called a surprise summer General Election for July 4.
But they have continued with garden parties at Buckingham Palace and the King and Queen’s D-Day 80th anniversary appearances in Portsmouth and Normandy in June are expected to go ahead as scheduled.
The Army said the Number 9 Company, Irish Guards, has been chosen to troop their colour, which means the regiment will march its ceremonial flag through the ranks at the King’s official birthday event.
The Band of the Irish Guards with the Pipes and Drums will march the troops onto the parade ground, led by regimental mascot Turlough Mor, an Irish Wolfhound also known as Seamus.
The music is set to have a ‘distinctly Irish theme’, including Celtic folk tunes and new music composed for the parade.
The annual Trooping the Colour has marked the official birthday of the British sovereign for more than 260 years.
Charles marked his first Trooping as King last year, riding onto Horse Guards in Whitehall as the nation’s head of state six weeks after his coronation.
During the celebrations, Charles and Camilla waved from the Buckingham Palace balcony as thousands of well-wishers in The Mall sang the National Anthem and gave three cheers.
The King and Queen were surrounded in 2023 by the family’s core group of working royals, including the Prince and Princess of Wales and their children.
Also on the balcony were the Princess Royal and her husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and the Duke of Kent.
Trooping changed when the Covid pandemic hit in the spring of 2020. National lockdowns were enforced, and Queen Elizabeth took part in drastically scaled-down ceremonies, alone. Trooping was temporarily moved from Horse Guards Parade to Windsor Castle.
When Trooping the Colour returned in 2022, it was a double celebration as the nation also marked the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee – 70 years of her record-breaking reign.
Although all members of her family were invited to join the party, including Prince Harry and Meghan, as well as Prince Andrew, only ‘working royals’ were invited to appear on the balcony.
This meant that the Queen avoided offending either the Sussexes, who had quit royal duties, or Andrew, who had been stripped of them.
But some argued it also ended decades of tradition, with the minor royals now banished from view.
