The day after Kate Middleton was seen for the first time in two months — in a grainy photo and being driven in a car by her mother near Windsor Castle — confusion erupted in the U.K. Tuesday over whether she’ll be well enough in June to play an important role in the annual Trooping of the Color in June.
The first scheduled engagement for the Princess of Wales, following her surgery in January for an undisclosed abdominal condition, was announced this week by the U.K.’s Ministry of Defence, the Times of London reported. A Ministry of Defence website started selling tickets for Kate’s review of the troops on June 8, a week ahead of the annual military pageant on June 15, during which hundreds of soldiers parade in front of Buckingham Palace to honor the official birthday of King Charles III.
But the Times said that confusion grew when Kensington Palace declined to confirm whether Kate would be well enough to attend the June 8 event. As the future queen, Kate holds the ceremonial title of Colonel in the Irish Guards, which presumably means it would normally be her job to review the regimental troops a week before the Trooping of the Colour, the Times said.
This review also would be taking place nearly six months after Kate was last seen at a public engagement before undergoing surgery. But it appears that the Ministry of Defence went ahead and announced her participation in the event without receiving backing from Kensington Palace, The Times said. Aides were surprised by the announcement, The Times added.
The Times also said it’s not clear yet whether Charles will be able to attend the Trooping of the Color — even though it’s in his honor — as he continues to undergo treatment for cancer. Buckingham Palace has said that there are plans for the king to attend certain events in the royal calendar, but his ongoing cancer treatment means that plans may be subject to change.
Kate’s last public appearance was on Christmas Day when she attended church services with the rest of the royal family during their holiday break at their Sandringham estate in Norfolk. In January, Kensington Palace announced that she would need to stay in the hospital for up to two weeks after her surgery, which was said to be “planned.” The long hospital stay prompted speculation that the princess’ condition was serious. The palace also advised that the mother of three would continue to recover at her home near Windsor Castle and would not return to royal duties until at least after Easter.
In the past two months, the royal family has been dealing with two of its key members being sidelined due to health issues — the king and his daughter in law. Prince William also opted to take on a reduced workload to prioritize looking after his wife and family during her convalescence.
This week, it also was learned that Queen Camilla was taking a week off after, friends say, she had become “absolutely shattered and exhausted” by the pressure of dealing with her husband’s cancer while also carrying out a full roster of public engagements, the Daily Beast reported. The other senior family members still carrying out public duties are Charles’s sister, Princess Anne, his brother, Prince Edward and Edward’s wife, Sophie.