For the first time since receiving a cancer diagnosis, Catherine, Princess of Wales, made a tentative comeback to the public eye in the UK on Saturday by participating in a military parade in London to celebrate King Charles III’s formal birthday.
At the beginning of the yearly ceremony, Kate, as she is popularly known, arrived in a state carriage with her three children and watched the ceremonial events from a viewing point.
The spectators below, who had endured pouring rain to attend the pageantry, cheered when the 42-year-old future queen made her appearance on the Buckingham Palace balcony.
It happens about three months after the princess made her cancer treatment public. She hadn’t been spotted at a public event since the previous year’s Christmas Day service.
Kate claimed she was “not out of the woods yet” despite “making good progress” with her therapy, which is expected to extend for several more months, in a statement released on Friday evening.
The princess continued, “This weekend, my family and I are excited to participate in the King’s Birthday Parade. We also hope to attend a few public events during the summer.”
Only a few weeks had passed since it was revealed that Kate’s father-in-law and British president Charles had also been afflicted with cancer.
The kind of their malignancy has not been disclosed by either.
Watchers cheered Kate’s return.
In April, Charles, 75, received permission to return to his public duties after his development was deemed “very encouraging” by his physicians.
Meeting the personnel and patients at a cancer treatment clinic in London was his first engagement.
He was present at commemorative activities commemorating the 80th anniversary of D-Day earlier this month in northern France.
But this year, Charles took part in Trooping the Colour from a carriage with Queen Camilla, dressed in full military gear, unlike in prior years when he reviewed troops while mounted.
William, his 41-year-old heir, rode a horse while wearing a military uniform.
Before the procession, Kate, dressed in a white dress and hat, was spotted driving up to the palace with William and their kids, Prince George, who is ten years old, Princess Charlotte, who is nine, and Prince Louis, who is six.
The Royal Air Force’s fly-past, which included a variety of aircraft including its aerobatic Red Arrows display team trailing red, white, and blue vapours, marked the culmination of the proceedings some hours later.
Kate stood with other family members and occasionally smiled while senior royals watched from the balcony.
The audience applauded her cautious comeback to public appearances.
An AFP reporter quoted Reading teacher in her 50s, Angela Perry, as saying, “I was so pleased to hear the news last night.”
She is going to be our queen. She continued, calling Kate’s reappearance “reassuring” and saying, “She’s so important.”
Kate’s gradual return to the public spotlight has been anticipated, but royal officials are keen to temper expectations and have insisted that appearances would be contingent upon her recuperation and treatment.
In her statement, Kate said that she was “taking each day as it comes” and that she had “good days and bad days.”
Trooping the Colour: Charles’s formal birthday is celebrated with protest and tradition.
Trooping the Colour is a meticulously planned military custom that dates back more than two centuries and celebrates the official birthday of the British sovereign.
Charles was given a royal salute at Buckingham Palace and then inspected soldiers as it made its way down The Mall to Horse Guards Parade.
Although Charles was born in November, the custom of celebrating a second birthday dates back to King George II in 1748, who preferred to celebrate his own birthday in October in better weather.
But there was a lot of rain on Saturday during the event.
The tradition began during war preparations, when soldiers were handed their regimental flags, or colours, to help them identify them in the chaos of combat.
Three of the five military horses that ran through the streets of central London in April due to their fear of the noise of construction were present in this year’s parade.
The Metropolitan Police in London coordinated with Republic, an anti-monarchy organisation that organised a protest on The Mall, and launched a “significant” security operation.
In order to protect public safety and prevent disturbance to the participating mounted regiments, the military announced that “amplified sound” was prohibited within and around the parade path.
As the procession went past, republican activists held up signs with messages like “down with the crown” and “not my king.” They also sang these chants.
