Kate Middleton Makes Her First Appearance of 2024 at Trooping the Colour

After months and months of waiting with bated breath, royal fans finally got what they were hoping for: Kate Middleton made an appearance on the palace balcony at this year's Trooping the Colour. Leading up to the big day, Buckingham Palace issued several statements saying that the Princess of Wales was continuing to stay out of the spotlight as she rests and recovers from her cancer treatment and wouldn't take her usual spot alongside the other members of the royal family. However, Kate appeared with her husband, Prince William, and their children to take in the sights and sounds of the annual extravaganza.

Middleton arrived at the 2024 Trooping the Colour celebration in a carriage alongside her son, George. Her two other children, Charlotte and Louis, sat opposite them, while Prince William rode on horseback. Middleton, who wore a white a black ensemble by Jenny Packham and a matching hat by Philip Treacy, smiled out the window of the carriage as the family made their way to Buckingham Palace for the traditional balcony appearance.

Yesterday, Middleton announced that she would be making her first royal appearance since last December in a social media post. "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," she wrote in the post.

She went on to provide an update her health journey in the caption alongside the image, lensed by Matt Porteous. "I am making good progress, but as anyone going through chemotherapy will know, there are good days and bad days," she 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."

"My treatment is ongoing and will be for a few more months," she continued. "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."

Kate's recovery has been rife with conspiracy theories and rumors, ranging from the unbelievable—like claims that her announcement video was a product of artificial intelligence—to the outrageous rumors that she had traveled to Houston's MD Anderson Cancer Center for treatment. However, no matter how sensational the claims get, the palace has maintained that Kate was taking her time and would return to the public eye when she and her medical team felt ready for it. Since her announcement, Prince William has offered several updates on his wife during his royal duties, telling well-wishers that she was doing well.

Trooping the Colour is a traditional royal event marking the official birthday of the British sovereign. The event sees the royals taking part in an elaborate parade down Horse Guards Parade in London before they appear on the balcony of Buckingham Palace to observe a flypast from the Royal Air Force. Since the first parade in 1952, the event has become one of the key points in the royal calendar, offering fans an opportunity to catch a glimpse of the royal family. For the past few years, fans have enjoyed watching Middleton interact with her three children—particularly the high-spirited Louis.