The royal family gathered for the 2024 Trooping the Colour parade on Saturday, June 15.
After King Charles III, Prince William and Princess Anne participated in the parade, they headed up to the Buckingham Palace balcony to watch the annual military flypast. The royal trio were joined by Charles’ wife, Queen Camilla, as well as Kate’s spouse, Princess Kate Middleton. Will and Kate, whose Saturday appearance marked her first public outing since confirming her cancer battle, waved to the crowds alongside their three children: Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 5. The kids excitedly pointed at the military planes while Charlotte also fluffed her hair in front of the cameras.
The royals were accompanied by Charles’ siblings Princess Anne and Prince Edward, who stood next to wife Duchess Sophie and daughter Lady Louise Windsor.
The annual event comes amid a turbulent time for the royals as both Charles and Kate, 42, are battling cancer. Charles confirmed his diagnosis in February, while Kate announced hers the following month. Neither have disclosed the type or stage of cancer they have.
Charles and Kate both paused their public duties as they underwent treatment for their conditions earlier this year. In April, Charles returned to his role, with a statement from Buckingham Palace ensuring well-wishers that his medical team was very “encouraged by the progress” he had made thus far and remained “positive” about his recovery.
“Forthcoming engagements will be adapted where necessary to minimize any risks to His Majesty’s continued recovery,” the statement continued. “The pacing of the king’s program will be carefully calibrated as his recovery continues, in close consultation with his medical team.”
Kate, for her part, stressed in her March announcement video that her family — she shares Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6, with Prince William — needed “time, space and privacy” as she focused on healing. She has yet to resume her royal duties since taking a step back in January.
Despite her absence from the public eye, a source exclusively told Us Weekly earlier this month that Kate is “feeling strong enough to be very involved with the kids” and has remained “an active parent.”
“Kate’s recovery is going well,” a second insider said. “She’s not able to see many people because she is susceptible to getting sick and they don’t want her compromised, but she’s up and about.”
On Friday, June 14, the palace confirmed that Kate was feeling well enough to attend on Saturday.
“My treatment is ongoing and will be for a few more months. On the days I feel well enough, it is a joy to engage with school life, spend personal time on the things that give me energy and positivity, as well as starting to do a little work from home,” she said in a statement. “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.”
