The Princess of Wales has confirmed she is attending King Charles' birthday parade, also known as Trooping the Colour, on Saturday with her husband Prince William and their three children Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.
In a personal message written herself and shared alongside a new photo taken by Matt Porteous earlier this week on the Windsor Estate, Kate, who has not been seen publicly since Christmas Day, said she is making "great progress".
"On the bad days you feel weak, tired," she said, adding: "On the good days, when you feel stronger, you want to make the most of feeling well."
© Matt PorteousStatement
The full message released by Kensington Palace on Friday, on behalf of the Princess, read: "I have been blown away by all the kind messages of support and encouragement over the last couple of months. It really has made the world of difference to William and me and has helped us both through some of the harder times.
"I am making good progress, but as anyone going through chemotherapy will know, there are good days and bad days. 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.
"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.
© Getty"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.
"Thank you so much for your continued understanding, and to all of you who have so bravely shared your stories with me."
© GettyHow is Kate's treatment for cancer going?
As the Princess stated in her message, she is making "great progress" but she is still having treatment for preventative chemotherapy. Her treatment plan is expected to be ongoing for the next few months and she is "not out of the woods yet".
The mother-of-three admitted that she has "good days" and "bad days" like other patients who have had and are going through chemotherapy, and that she is taking each day as it comes.
Why has she chosen to appear at Trooping the Colour?
Kate has not been seen in public for 172 days. But it should perhaps come as no surprise that she has chosen to officially return to the spotlight at her father-in-law's birthday parade this weekend.
© GettyFamily is incredibly important to the Princess and while Trooping the Colour is full of pomp and pageantry, and a military spectacle, it is, at heart, a family affair. Kate always looks like she is thoroughly enjoying herself at the procession and the RAF flypast, while it's also a highlight and a novelty for her young children to watch the planes and jets soar above Buckingham Palace.
HELLO! understands Kate wanted to be there to support her family on the King's special day, while Charles is also said to be "delighted" that his daughter-in-law can join in the festivities.
How did King Charles react to Kate's Trooping attendance news?
A spokesperson for Buckingham Palace said: "His Majesty is delighted that The Princess is able to attend tomorrow's events, and is much looking forward to all elements of the day."
Does this mean Kate is returning to work?
Her attendance at Trooping the Colour should not be interpreted as a return to work or her resuming a full schedule of public engagements.
It's expected that her future appearances will be decided on a case-by-case basis, depending on how she is feeling nearer the time.
© ShutterstockKate has been dabbling in work because she takes so much joy in it, and it's understood that her medical team have advised her to keep engaging in the things she loves and to go about her normal life on her "good days". This is all integral to her recovery.
She has begun to taken part in some work meetings from home and in the coming months, her work activity will be logged in the court circular.
What other events can we expect to see Kate at?
While the Princess will make her much-anticipated return to the spotlight at Trooping the Colour, she is not expected to attend the Order of the Garter service or Royal Ascot next week.
In her message she said she hoped to "join a few public engagements over the summer" but has, naturally, not yet specified or perhaps decided what these will be.
Typical summer engagements in the royal family's calendar include Wimbledon; tennis-loving Kate is patron of the All England Lawn Tennis Club.
What is preventative chemotherapy?
Kate revealed that after receiving her test results following an abdominal operation, she was to undergo preventative chemotherapy, which she is still receiving and will be for "a few more months."
HELLO! spoke to cancer expert Professor Ramia Mokbel for some clarity on what exactly the course of treatment involves. The treatment is also known as adjuvant chemotherapy, and its main aim is to target any remaining cancer cells that may be present in other parts of the body.
"It's given after cancer removal surgery when scans show no evidence of cancer spread elsewhere," explains Professor Ramia Mokbel. "The aim is to eradicate any remaining cancer cells that may be circulating in the bloodstream or have spread to other organs such as the bone marrow, liver, and lungs."
Chemotherapy, in general, works by killing cancer cells and helps to prevent the disease from spreading or returning. Professor Ramia adds: "While this treatment targets hidden cells, it often causes collateral damage, leading to side effects such as hair loss, low white cell counts, reduced immunity to infections, and bowel inflammation."
When did we last see Kate officially?
The Princess has not been seen conducting official duties in 172 days. Kate was last pictured with her husband Prince William and their three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, at St Mary Magdelene Church for the annual Christmas Day walk last year.
© PoolSince then, Kate has taken time away to focus on her treatment and ensure as much "normality" as possible for their family while she undergoes preventative chemotherapy.
What big events has Kate missed?
Since the start of the year when the Princess's cancer diagnosis and treatment were announced, Kate has missed out on a number of royal events and engagements, so she can prioritise her recovery.
Her husband Prince William has, however, been flying the flag for them both and has attended many events solo. Most recently, the Prince of Wales made an appearance at the Duke of Westminster's wedding to Olivia Henson last week at Chester Cathedral.
William was an usher at the wedding and, upon arrival, was welcomed with huge cheers from onlooking locals and royal fans. One even shouted out well wishes to his wife, prompting him to reply: "Thank you."
The day before, Prince William joined his father, King Charles, and Queen Camilla at a series of commemorative events in Normandy, France to mark the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings.
It was during this event that Prince William shared an update on his wife's health. One war hero asked the future King if his wife was "getting any better", to which he replied: "Yes she is. She'd have loved to be here."
Princess Kate was also, along with her family, absent from the Easter Service at St George's Chapel in Windsor, as well as the BAFTA Film Awards in February and the BAFTA TV awards, which were held in May.
What's more, William and Kate did not make a public appearance to mark their thirteenth wedding anniversary in April, instead choosing to release a previously unseen photo from their nuptials at Westminster Abbey in 2011.
Reactions
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was asked about the royal's announcement at the G7 summit in Italy. During a press conference, he said: "It's obviously wonderful, wonderful news. The whole country will be behind the Princess of Wales for her recovery. I saw her statement earlier, I thought it was brave, I thought it was honest and I'm sure it will bring an enormous amount of comfort to so many other people who are grappling with similar health challenges, so I think she deserves enormous praise for what she said and it will be great to see her there tomorrow."
