Catherine, Princess of Wales, joined other British royals on the balcony of Buckingham Palace for the King’s official birthday celebration, marking her first public appearance since being diagnosed with cancer.
The Princess of Wales, along with her husband William and their children George, Charlotte, and Louis, gathered with King Charles and Queen Camilla to watch a Royal Air Force flypast. The royal family waved and smiled at the crowd, which responded with cheers.
Earlier, Princess Kate traveled in a state carriage with her children from Buckingham Palace to Horse Guards Parade to watch the Trooping the Colour ceremony. She wore an Irish Guards regimental brooch, reflecting her role as their honorary colonel.
For Kate, this appearance was her first since Christmas Day, before her cancer diagnosis. She stepped away from public duties in January after undergoing surgery for a non-cancerous abdominal condition. In March, amid public concern about her health, she revealed her cancer diagnosis and ongoing treatment.
King Charles III and Queen Camilla also traveled in a carriage from Buckingham Palace, receiving cheers from the packed crowds along The Mall. The King participated in the ceremony riding in a carriage rather than on horseback due to his own cancer diagnosis.
People of all ages lined The Mall, wearing Union Jack bucket hats, fascinators, and waving flags. Some sang the national anthem as they awaited the royal procession.
Kate provided an update on her health, stating she had made “good progress” in her recovery but still faced months of treatment. “I’m not out of the woods yet,” she said.
Trooping the Colour
Trooping the Colour is a grand military spectacle featuring 1,400 officers and soldiers, 400 musicians, and 200 horses processing from Buckingham Palace to Horse Guards Parade, with crowds lining the route. This event, one of the highlights of the royal calendar, has marked the official birthday of the British sovereign for over 260 years, although Charles’s actual birthday is in November.
The tradition of celebrating both a public and private birthday started with King George II in 1748, whose November birthday prompted a summer celebration due to better weather conditions.
Despite the celebratory atmosphere, the weather turned rainy and windy as the event concluded, with crowds struggling to hold their umbrellas in place.
David Betteridge, 66, commented on Kate’s appearance: “She looked well, so hopefully that is a good sign. It’s really nice to see her back actually. For the most part, we stayed dry, but we got pretty wet just after the ceremony when the parade had finished. It rained very hard.”
Anna Yang, 30, visiting from China, enjoyed the flypast from her nearby hotel: “It was great. It’s our first time, even in our own country, seeing all the national aircraft going through the sky. It was incredible.”
Adapting to Health Challenges
This year’s proceedings were adjusted as 75-year-old King Charles continues his treatment for an unspecified form of cancer. His doctors have been encouraged by his progress, allowing him to resume public duties in April, but each engagement is carefully reviewed and adapted as needed.
For Saturday’s events, King Charles reviewed the troops while seated in an Ascot landau carriage alongside Queen Camilla.
Additionally, three of the British Army’s horses, which had bolted in London in April, returned to duty for the birthday parade. Two remaining horses are currently “enjoying a summer holiday in the Chilterns” and will return to service later, according to the army.