Kate to miss Colonel's Review event next month - as King to attend Trooping the Colour in carriage
The princess has not been attending public engagements since she revealed she was being treated for cancer earlier this year - while the King returned to public duties in April following his own diagnosis with the disease.
Thursday 30 May 2024 15:39, UK
The Princess of Wales will not be returning to public duties for the Colonel's Review after speculation she would be well enough to take part.
The ceremonial military event will be held in London on 8 June, and as colonel in chief of the Irish Guards, Kate would usually take the salute.
The news she will not be taking part this year comes as Buckingham Palace confirmed the King, 75, will participate in Trooping the Colour on 15 June.
The Colonel's Review is a dress rehearsal for Trooping the Colour - a ceremonial event performed on Horse Guards Parade on Whitehall every year to celebrate the official birthday of the British sovereign.
The King returned to public duties last month after it was confirmed in February that he had been diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer.
Kate, 42, revealed in March that she also had cancer and was undergoing preventative chemotherapy.
The princess has not been taking part in public engagements since, and it is unclear if she will attend Trooping the Colour alongside other members of the Royal Family.
In February, the Ministry of Defence appeared to confirm she would attend the ceremony but subsequently had to remove the announcement on its website.
Instead the salute will be taken by Lieutenant General James Bucknall.
The former commander of the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps has attended every King's Birthday Parade since 2009 when he was appointed colonel of the Coldstream Guards, having served as a Coldstream Guards officer for more than 45 years.
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King to attend Trooping the Colour
Due to the monarch's cancer diagnosis there had been questions about whether he would be able to inspect his troops of the Household Division, a key part of the ceremony, on horseback as he did last year.
It is understood that he will inspect the soldiers from a carriage when he attends the ceremony next month.
This reflects earlier Buckingham Palace briefings where it was highlighted that each public engagement by the King would be reviewed and adaptations made when advised by doctors.
The King is also likely to travel by carriage with the Queen during the traditional procession to and from Horse Guards Parade.
The celebration traditionally involves the Royal Family gathering on the balcony of Buckingham Palace after the display of pomp and military pageantry on Whitehall.
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The King had been carrying out a busy programme of engagements since it was announced just over four weeks ago he would be returning to public-facing duties.
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Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's decision last week to call a surprise summer general election has meant the monarchy has postponed any engagements "which may appear to divert attention or distract from the election campaign".