The Princess of Wales has not been ruled out of making an appearance at the King’s official birthday celebrations next month.

Kate, 42, who is having preventative cancer treatment, is understood to be considering making an appearance on the Buckingham Palace balcony following the Trooping the Colour ceremony if she is feeling well enough. Kensington Palace yesterday confirmed the Princess would not be officially taking part in the final dress rehearsal for the King’s birthday celebrations on June 8, but did not rule out her attending the main event a week later.

As colonel-in-chief of the Irish Guards, Kate would usually take the salute at The Colonel’s Review, the second of three ticketed Trooping the Colour events which begin today with The Major General’s Review at Horse Guards Parade.

Kate with Princess Anne, Prince William and her children on the Buckingham Palace balcony after Trooping the Colour 2023 ( 
Image:
PA)
Palace sources have insisted that the Princess is not expected to return to official duties until given the all-clear by doctors and any appearances at royal events would be sporadic at best. The King, who has also been having his own treatment for cancer, has however confirmed he will attend his birthday celebrations in London.

But as part of the adaptations made to his routine, instead of riding on horseback to inspect the troops, the monarch will travel in an Ascot Landau carriage with Queen Camilla. Palace sources said the alteration to normal proceedings is in keeping with guidance by the palace that the King’s working comeback would be “carefully reviewed” for each engagement.

Last year Kate rode in a carriage with Queen Camilla, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis ( 
Image:
Getty Images)
While Charles has made several public comments on his health recovery during engagements in recent weeks, updates on the Princess of Wales’ ongoing situation have been sparse. Prince William said his wife was “doing well” during a visit earlier this month to St Mary’s Community Hospital on the Isles of Scilly.

Trooping the Colour is held every year as an official birthday event for the monarch, even though Charles’ actual birthday is November 14. Royal sources said other members of the Royal Family were expected to attend in line with last year, where only working members of the family were present.

That would mean there will be no place on the palace balcony for members of the family including Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice or the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh’s children Lady Louise Windsor, 20, and James, the Earl of Wessex, 16.

Anti-monarchy campaigners have announced they will protest outside Buckingham Palace during the traditional ceremony. Graham Smith, spokesman for the group Republic, said: “Rather than having the parade to celebrate Charles’s birthday, why not use the moment to celebrate the service given by our armed forces?”