Prince William Releases a Heartfelt Statement About Princess Kate’s Trooping the Colour Appearance and Brief Return to Public Duty

In her June 14 statement announcing that she would attend the next day’s Trooping the Colour—which marks her first public appearance since Christmas Day 2023, when she attended the traditional Christmas church service at St. Mary Magdalene on the Sandringham Estate alongside the rest of the royal family—the Princess of Wales specifically mentioned her husband, Prince William, saying that she has “been blown away by all the kind messages of support and encouragement over the last couple of months,” she wrote. “It really has made the world of difference to William and me and has helped us both through some of the harder times.” 

In response to Kate’s statement, Kensington Palace said of the Prince of Wales that “The Prince is pleased to see The Princess starting to engage with the work and projects that are important to her,” a spokesperson said, per People. “He will continue to focus his time on supporting his wife and children while continuing to undertake his public duties.”

Following the aforementioned Christmas Day service, Kate underwent a planned abdominal surgery on January 16, which ultimately detected cancer. Kate is believed to have received that diagnosis in February, and announced it to the world in a brave video message shared on March 22. It remains unknown what type and stage of cancer she has been diagnosed with.

The week prior to Kate returning to public life—at least in brief, as her full return-to-work date remains unknown and will depend on Kate getting the green light from her medical team—William once again showed that his wife was never far from his mind: on June 5, at a D-Day commemoration event in Portsmouth, England, William indicated that the Princess of Wales’ treatment was moving in a positive direction. When asked how she was doing, William said she was “getting better” and that she would have “loved” to have joined him at the event marking the 80th anniversary of D-Day, Newsweek reports. 

In the strange year that has been 2024 in the royal family, King Charles was also diagnosed with cancer following a routine procedure at The London Clinic in January; he announced his diagnosis on February 5, the same day he began cancer treatment. (His treatment still continues, and he returned to public duty on April 30.) Of Kate’s appearance at Trooping the Colour—which is the annual birthday parade for the monarch, celebrated every June because of London’s generally favorable weather at that time—the King said, according to Buckingham Palace, that he “is delighted that the Princess is able to attend tomorrow’s events and is much looking forward to all elements of the day,” a spokesperson said yesterday.