Kate Middleton made a splash at her first public appearance in six months at Trooping the Colour in London on Saturday. The last-minute decision to participate in a royal engagement amid her cancer battle was a lovely surprise to many fans, but everyone will have to remember that this wasn’t a full-time return — she reportedly has specific plans for her summer calendar.
The Trooping the Colour date was someone that had been “tentatively in the works for weeks but only confirmed at the last minute,” according to The Telegraph, which also noted that this “will be the pattern in the months to come.” Each major event will be taken on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration that there are “good days and bad days,” and the Princess of Wales is still “not out of the woods” yet, per her personal statement.
The British media outlet reported that she has more chemotherapy ahead of her, so Garter Day and Royal Ascot have been “ruled out.” Royal watchers should keep an eye out for Kate at Wimbledon and the upcoming Japanese State Visit. Deborah Jevans, the vice chair of the All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club, already shared that they are making plans to move forward without the Princess of Wales, just in case she isn’t feeling well. “Our priority is clearly that our Patron has the time to recover and we’re certainly not going to add any additional pressure on her recovery by speculating on her attendance at this year’s Championships,” she told the media last week.
Kensington Palace is also going to prioritize Kate’s health over her social calendar, so the public and press won’t know about her plans until they are sure she’s in a good place. The Telegraph is describing her plan as “under-promising and over-delivering” by offering “a powerful emotional message, a surprise photograph, and a full-scale outing to come that no one would have expected her to manage.”
As Kate shared with her followers on X last week, “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.” Fans must be also patient with her return to work — it might be touch and go — but the Princess of Wales is hoping to put the health rumors to rest for good.
Before you go, click here to see the best photos of the royal family at Trooping the Colour over the years.
