Celebrity Kate Middleton Kate Middleton Reportedly "Considering" A Balcony Appearance at Trooping the Colour A royal insider claims the princess might make a surprise appearance at the event. By Meg Walters Meg Walters Meg Walters is a contributing writer at InStyle covering fashion, celebrity news, and entertainment. InStyle's editorial guidelines Published on May 31, 2024 @ 07:26AM Close Photo: Getty As the traditional Trooping the Colour ceremony approaches, royal fans continue to speculate about whether or not the event might mark Kate Middleton's first public appearance since her stomach operation in January and, later, her cancer treatment. It is now being reported that the Princess of Wales may be "considering" appearing on the balcony during the event on June 15th. This news comes after Kensington Palace officially announced that Middleton would not be attending the Trooping the Colour rehearsal, also known as the Colonel's Review, on June 8th. In the past, Middleton has assumed the role of Inspecting Officer at the rehearsal—this year, this duty will fall to Lieutenant General James Bucknall, KCB, CBE, a former commander of the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps. Notably, the palace did not mention the main Trooping the Colour event on June 15th in their statement. Karwai Tang/Getty Images Kate Middleton's Return to Royal Duties May Take Longer Than Expected Trooping the Colour is a yearly formal State Ceremonial Parade in honor of the official birthday of the British Sovereign. The ceremony concludes with the King joining his family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace where they watch a fly-past performed by the Royal Air Force. In previous years, Middleton and her family (particularly the exuberant young Louis, with some very memeable displays) have delighted royal fans during their balcony appearance. The palace previously stated that Middleton's return to public life would only occur when she was fully recovered. "The Princess will return to official duties when she is cleared to do so by her medical team," a palace representative said in March after she announced her cancer treatment. "She is in good spirits and is focused on making a full recovery." However, according to the latest reports, there is still a small chance that Middleton will make a brief appearance, joining her family on the balcony for the traditional fly-past—and perhaps a few more adorable interactions with her children. King Charles III, who is also undergoing cancer treatment, is scheduled to appear at the event, although his role will be scaled back—he is set to travel in a horse-drawn carriage alongside his wife Queen Camilla, rather than riding on horseback as he has in previous years.