Princess Kate Middleton made sure her three children were ready for the Trooping the Colour before they stepped foot into a carriage.
Kate, 42, and husband Prince William’s official social media pages shared video footage of the Princess of Wales and kids Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 5, getting ready for the big day on Saturday, June 15.
Kate — wearing a white Jenny Packham dress — stood outside Kensington Palace with the three kids, all matching in navy ensembles, while waiting for their carriage to pull up. Kate gently smoothed out her only daughter’s hair while George and Louis stood by their sides.
After the gilded carriage arrived at the palace, Louis adorably waved to the horses pulling the vehicle. The foursome then hopped in the carriage, which traveled to St. James Park.
Kate and her kids watched the Trooping the Colour parade from St. James Park, during which 41-year-old William rode horseback in the procession. They later reunited with the Prince of Wales on the Buckingham Palace balcony for the military flypast.
Trooping the Colour is the annual celebration of a reigning British monarch’s birthday. King Charles III and his wife, Queen Camilla, were also present for the occasion as were his siblings Princess Anne and Prince Edward.
As the royal family watched the military planes fly overhead, Kate could be seen chatting with Charles, 75. The pair bonded amid their respective cancer battles. Charles confirmed his diagnosis in February, one month before Kate. (Neither have revealed further specifics about their illnesses.)
Both Charles and Kate have been undergoing treatment, with the princess canceling all appearances to recuperate. Trooping the Colour was Kate’s first official engagement since starting a course of preventative chemotherapy.
“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,” Kate said in a Friday, June 14, statement. “I am learning how to be patient, especially with uncertainty.”
She continued, “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.”
Kate further noted that she is “making good progress,” but some days are “harder” than others.
“As anyone going through chemotherapy will know, there are good days and bad days,” Kate said. “On those bad days you feel weak, tired and you have to give in to your body resting. But on the good days, when you feel stronger, you want to make the most of feeling well.”
