Here are more photos from the Princess of Wales’s big appearance at Trooping the Colour on Saturday. After almost six full months of shenanigans, malarkey, lies and frankenphotos, it turns out that Kate pretty much looked the same as always. I’m glad that all of the worst-case-scenario theories turned out to be false and I’m glad that she’s capable of getting around and doing events in some kind of capacity. It was just a few weeks ago when “royal sources” began soft-launching the idea that Kate would be out of sight for all of 2024. Last month, even the Mail was saying that we probably wouldn’t see Kate until autumn. So, is Trooping the first of many summer appearances, or was this merely one appearance until autumn? Well, the Telegraph had this piece: “What the summer could hold for the Princess of Wales.” It’s all speculative but the sourcing seems to be from palace briefings, especially since they’re making a point of saying Kate will absolutely not be seen at several big upcoming events (the Garter service, Ascot).
This will be the way Kate operates for now: Surpassing all expectations, she [attended Trooping] under plans that have been tentatively in the works for weeks but only confirmed at the last minute. This, it is thought, will be the pattern in the months to come. The Princess hopes to return to a form of public engagements, already working from home when she can and easing herself back into meetings.
No Garter Day or Ascot: Palace sources have ruled out Garter Day and Royal Ascot in the coming weeks, but everything else – Wimbledon, the Japanese State Visit, and bread-and-butter engagements – remains a possibility. The watchword at Kensington Palace, caution, still holds. They will not be confirming appearances too far in advance, and have emphasised over and over that the Princess is not making a full return to work.
The rock star comeback: Her reappearance at Trooping, therefore, will have all the power of a rockstar comeback. Instead of the Catherine-shaped hole on the Buckingham Palace balcony that had been feared – her absence glaring as her young family tried to carry on without her – she will be at the heart of the King’s official birthday celebrations, back where she belongs. It is, royal watchers will note, a typically “Kate” return: under-promising and over-delivering, with a powerful emotional message, a surprise photograph, and a full-scale outing to come that no one would have expected her to manage. In a royal career of perfectionism, the Princess is staying true to form.
Squashing rumors: Her appearance at Trooping will also have the effect of squashing, once and for all, the rumours about her health and whereabouts that have swirled around the world all year.
She’s not used to resting: Resting has not come naturally to the active Princess, we gather, but she is trying. As with any patient having chemotherapy, there is no crystal ball to predict when and where we will see her in public again. The Princess of Wales, however temporarily, is coming back. It would simply not have been the same without her.
LMAO, she won’t confirm for Garter Day or Ascot but Wimbledon is being left open. People were joking about that on Friday, and I even tweeted that it would have looked bad if Kate had turned up to Wimbledon and nothing else beforehand. Looks like they were holding that over her head – she couldn’t go to Wimbledon and flirt with Roger Federer unless she made an appearance somewhere else beforehand.
“Her appearance at Trooping will also have the effect of squashing, once and for all, the rumours about her health and whereabouts that have swirled around the world all year.” In fact, her appearance at Trooping squashed many rumors about her dire health, so much so that now people are wondering what in the world has been happening behind-the-scenes for six months, that Kensington Palace f–ked up the communications to this degree. Also: “Resting has not come naturally to the active Princess.” GMAFB.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.