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In an unexpected turn of events, Kate Middleton, formally known as Catherine, Princess of Wales, has shared significant news about her cancer treatment, three months after beginning chemotherapy. Her Royal Highness stated, “I am making good progress, but as with anyone undergoing chemotherapy, there are highs and lows,” noting that her treatment “will continue for the next few months.” She also announced her participation in the Trooping the Colour ceremony scheduled on Saturday, June 15.
This annual event, marking the official birthday of the British sovereign, is a military parade featuring regiments of the Household Division, with displays of cavalry and military bands. The Princess of Wales, accompanied by young princes and princess, George, Charlotte and Louis, rode in a royal carriage down The Mall, the iconic avenue leading to Buckingham Palace. This procession preceded her appearance on the Palace balcony alongside other active members of the royal family at 12:55 PM GMT (2:55 PM Beirut time).
A Kensington Palace spokesperson emphasized during a briefing to the British press that despite the Princess of Wales’s strong desire to fully resume her royal duties, she must remain mindful of her health and will only be able to take on a few engagements this summer. The same source stated that Princess Kate “has reached a significant milestone” in her treatment and will regain her full capacity in the coming months, although she is not fully recovered yet. Additionally, a Buckingham Palace spokesperson, speaking on behalf of King Charles III, who is also battling cancer and undergoing his own treatment, remarked that the monarch is “delighted” with the presence of his beloved daughter-in-law at the Trooping the Colour ceremony.
As a reminder, Princess Kate announced that she had undergone abdominal surgery on January 17, specifying that her recovery time would be about three months. After months of intense speculation and extravagant rumors, the princess reappeared publicly in a video on March 23, announcing that she had cancer and needed to undergo preventive chemotherapy, without specifying the nature of the cancer.
News of her gradual return to public life will undoubtedly delight admirers of the British royal family worldwide, as well as its active members. The improvement in the health of the Princess of Wales and the King will help dispel the notion of a “slimmed-down monarchy” established since the death of Queen Elizabeth II. This concept is defined by reducing royal engagements to a very restricted circle, including the King, Queen Camilla, the Prince and Princess of Wales, the Princess Royal Anne (the King’s sister) and the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, Edward and Sophie (the King’s brother and his wife). This slimmed-down monarchy appeared extremely vulnerable during the illnesses of both the King and the Princess of Wales, with Prince William remaining by his wife’s side, while the Princess Royal and the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh shared the royal engagements.
The return of Princess Kate, even if gradual, brings back a touch of glamour, elegance, class and modernity to the royal family, offering hope for the future of the monarchy. Alongside her husband William, she is expected to embody stability and a human touch while captivating audiences worldwide, with the crown tasked with providing “a touch of magic,” according to late Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother.
Now that the King is also back for royal engagements, the small family enterprise can once again spread its wings.
