Kate Middleton Smiles at Trooping the Colour During First Public Appearance Since Announcing Cancer Diagnosis

After 172 days, Kate Middleton is making a long-awaited first appearance since announcing her battle with cancer. 

The Princess of Wales attended the annual Trooping the Colour parade -- also referred to as King Charles' Birthday Parade -- on Saturday morning in London, marking her first public appearance since Dec. 25, 2023. She was photographed sitting in the backseat of a car alongside her son, Prince George, 10, and husband Prince William as the family of five arrived to the event. The couple's younger son, Prince Louis, 6, could also be seen. 

The famed royal was later seen smiling and waving from inside a carriage during the parade with her three children, including Princess Charlotte, 9. 

For the special occasion, Middleton opted for a white dress reportedly by one of her go-to British designers, Jenny Packham. The garment featured black trim at the waist and around the neck, and was embellished with a black and white bow. She paired the dress with a white Philip Treacy hat and sported her Cassandra Goad pearl cluster earrings along with white Jimmy Choo pumps, according to Women's Wear Daily. 

Since attending a Christmas church service with other members of the royal family last year, the mom of three underwent abdominal surgery for a non-disclosed reason in January and remained hospitalized for nearly two weeks. At the time, Kensington Palace said it was "unlikely" for Kate "to return to public duties until after Easter."

Following speculation and conspiracies about her whereabouts as she remained largely out of the public eye save for a few sightings, the future queen reemerged on March 22 in a video message, sharing that she had been diagnosed with cancer. 

While the 42-year-old royal did not disclose what type of cancer she has, she said at the time that she was undergoing "preventative" chemotherapy. In a rare update shared on Friday, Kate disclosed that she will be undergoing treatment for "a few more months," but would be present at the parade. It had seemed unlikely she would attend the annual event -- one of the most significant public appearances for the royal family throughout the year -- after missing the Colonel's Review, which is considered a final rehearsal of the parade, a week earlier. 

"I am making good progress, but as anyone going through chemotherapy will know, there are good days and bad days," she shared in her message posted to social media on June 14. "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."

Continued Kate, "My treatment is ongoing and will be for a few more months. 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. 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."

"I am learning how to be patient, especially with uncertainty. Taking each day as it comes, listening to my body, and allowing myself to take this much needed time to heal," the royal concluded her statement. "Thank you so much for your continued understanding, and to all of you who have so bravely shared your stories with me."

A new photo of the princess -- taken in June by royal family photographer Matt Porteous, per Kensington Palace -- was also shared, showing her standing with her arms crossed in front of the trunk of a tree as she looked upward.

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