Kate Middleton joins King Charles on Buckingham Palace balcony as royal family reunites for first time since their cancer diagnoses as slimmed-down monarchy watch spectacular RAF flypast bringing historic Trooping the Colour to a close.
READ MORE:The Princess of Wales and King Charles III were reunited on the Buckingham Palace balcony today for the first time since they both began cancer treatment.
They were joined by the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, with the family smiling and waving to crowds before standing proudly as the national anthem was played. Hundreds of Metropolitan Police officers were deployed on the ceremonial route to ensure the safety and security of those watching, with tens of thousands gathered.
The family were first seen arriving at Buckingham Palace in a car at 10am, with George sitting between Kate and William, and Charlotte and Louis opposite. In the rear rank was Tennyson, one of the five horses injured when they ran through the streets of London after being spooked by construction noise.
Read More My fair Kate! Princess channels Eliza Doolittle in a stylish monochrome dress at Trooping the Colour The royal procession then moved back to Buckingham Palace just as heavy rain began falling in central London. The military spectacle, also known as the Birthday Parade is a gift from the Household Division, and Charles first attended in 1951, aged three, riding in a carriage with his grandmother, the Queen Mother, and aunt, Princess Margaret, and first rode as Colonel of the Welsh Guards in 1975.
When the royal carriages finally came to a stop Louis was the first to leave, followed by his elder brother George and sister Charlotte. During the pageantry the colour was first trooped through the ranks of soldiers before the guardsmen marched past the King, first in slow then in quick time with the King acknowledging the command of"eyes right" with a salute.The rule change, which applies across the Army, was approved by the King earlier this year after facial hair was only allowed for religious, medical or role specific reasons.
'I am making good progress, but as anyone going through chemotherapy will know, there are good days and bad days. 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. 'Thank you so much for your continued understanding, and to all of you who have so bravely shared your stories with me.'
Mr Mar said: 'The royal family are like an anchor for uncertain times - especially when you see the mess of politicians.' Also today, royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams told MailOnline: 'Kate's appearance today is pivotal as the royal family is much weakened by two senior members fighting cancer. It is especially significant as we have not seen her on an official engagement since December.
'There will be considerable speculation as to what events she will be able to attend during the summer. They will have a very special cachet as today's Birthday Parade will. She is a very special person with a place in all our hearts.
The new photograph emphasises this aspect of her character too, but she is also having an extremely tough time, as those undergoing chemotherapy usually do. Advertisement The princess has been receiving treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer since late February and her decision to choose a major national event today to return briefly to the public spotlight, the first time since Christmas Day, has been welcomed by the King.
Kate said: '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. The princess's public appearance at Trooping will be her first official outing of 2024 after she missed engagements at the start of the year when she was admitted to hospital for abdominal surgery on January 16.
- Tuesday January 16: Kate is secretly admitted to The London Clinic and undergoes abdominal surgery. She attends the clinic rather than King Edward VII's Hospital, which is usually the go-to establishment for royal family medical matters. - Monday March 4: The Princess of Wales was photographed for the first time since undergoing abdominal surgery. Kate was pictured near Windsor Castle in the passenger seat of a car, according to TMZ. The news site said she was wearing dark sunglasses in the black Audi which was being driven by her mother, Carole Middleton. The photo is understood to have been taken by paparazzi.
- Saturday March 16: The Princess of Wales was filmed smiling with her husband during a visit to a farm shop in Windsor. Kate's recovery from surgery appeared to have progressed after footage obtained by The Sun showed her and William at the local business. In the video the princess can be seen with her hair down, wearing a black jacket and leggings, chatting with William and carrying a large white bag.
- Friday May 10: The Prince of Wales gave a positive update about his wife's cancer treatment during a visit to the Isles of Scilly, saying 'she's doing well' when asked by a hospital administrator. Advertisement At the time her condition was thought to be non-cancerous but tests after the successful operation found the disease, and Kate disclosed the medical development in an emotional video released in March.
A Kensington Palace spokesperson said: 'The prince is pleased to see the princess starting to engage with the work and projects that are important to her. The King, who is also undergoing cancer treatment, will not ride during the ceremony but will inspect the troops formed up in Horse Guards Parade in Whitehall from a carriage.During a press conference at the G7 in Italy, he said: 'It's obviously wonderful, wonderful news. The whole country will be behind the Princess of Wales for her recovery.
Scotland Yard has imposed a condition under Section 14 of the Public Order Act 1986 prohibiting protesters from using systems to amplify sound 'within the footprint' of Trooping the Colour between 8am and 3pm. 'We have also taken into account the views of Republic. Our concern, along with partners, is that amplified noise could cause a public safety issue and serious disruption to the event and crowds attending.
In that announcement, Kate highlighted the importance of giving her children - George, Charlotte and Louis - time and space to come to terms with their mother's illness. Catherine Elizabeth Middleton was born to the Middletons at the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading on January 9 1982. A keen photographer, the princess usually takes the publicly released photos of her children to mark their birthdays.
Kate also spoke about the attraction of a chilly dip: 'Cold swimming - the colder, the better. I absolutely love it. Slightly to the point where William's 'You're crazy' and it's dark and it's raining'. I will go and seek out cold water. I love it.' The princess was diagnosed after a major abdominal operation in January, and it was initially thought she did not have the disease, but tests after surgery found cancer had been present.
Read More Meghan Markle releases new jam and dog biscuits just hours before Kate's Trooping the Colour moment Prof Andrew Beggs, consultant colorectal surgeon at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, echoed Prof Phillips' comments, saying preventive chemotherapy was 'a bit like mopping a floor with bleach when you've spilt something on it, chemotherapy kills any spilt cells'.
Read More King Charles 'delighted' by Kate Middleton's brave decision to attend Trooping the Colour tomorrow He added there would then be 'time for the body to recover from it, while the chemo keeps damaging the cancer cell.The treatment has side effects, as healthy cells are damaged alongside cancer cells, and patients can experience tiredness, vomiting, hair loss and have an increased risk of getting infections, dry, sore or itchy skin and bowel issues.
'Generally speaking, the healthier someone is before cancer treatment, the closer to optimal the amount of chemo and the gaps between chemo can be.Prof Beggs said: 'Young onset cancer is by no means rare. I run a clinic for early-onset cancer in adults and we are seeing more and more people in their 40s with cancer.'
The Prince of Wales gave a positive update about his wife's treatment during a visit to the Isles of Scilly in May, saying 'she's doing well' when asked by a hospital administrator. Read MoreEXCLUSIVE Lip reader reveals adorable remark George made to mum Kate during carriage procession Charles initially postponed public-facing duties but resumed at the end of April, speaking of his 'shock' at being diagnosed with cancer as he met patients on a visit to University College Hospital Macmillan Cancer Centre in central London.
Read More How to watch Trooping the Colour: What time is it and what TV channel is it on? She had discovered an early form of breast cancer during a routine mammogram screening. For many years, it was the estrangement of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex that dominated discourse around the royal family after the pair stepped down as working royals in 2020.
Asked by a US breakfast show if the diagnosis could have a 'reunifying effect', the duke replied: 'Yeah, I am sure.'
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