Prince William on Horseback at Trooping the Colour. John Phillips/Getty Images
Prince William helped lead the 2024 Trooping the Colour procession on horseback.
Like last year, the Prince of Wales, 41, rode in the ceremonial parade honoring his father, King Charles III, in London on Saturday, June 15, along with Princess Anne and Prince Edward.
William, Prince of Wales during Trooping the Colour at Horse Guards Parade. John Phillips/Getty Images
His wife, Princess Kate Middleton, attended the royal celebrations in her first public appearance since revealing her cancer diagnosis in March.
The Princess of Wales was spotted in a carriage leaving Buckingham Palace with her and William’s three children, Prince George, 10, daughter Princess Charlotte, 9, and son Prince Louis, 6, ahead of King Charles’ official birthday procession through London.
Kate Middleton at Trooping the Colour. Samir Hussein/WireImage
Kate smiled and waved to the amassed crowd in a carriage behind King Charles and Queen Camilla. She and her children then disembarked the carriage to watch the official parade from the Horse Guards Parade in St. James’s Park.
William and Kate have always jointly appeared at Trooping the Colour since she became an official member of the royal family in April 2011. They both skipped the scaled-back festivities in 2020 and 2021 amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Kate, 42, revealed in March that she had been diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer and was undergoing preventative chemotherapy. Earlier in the year, she stepped back from her public duties, explaining in her announcement video that she and William had “been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family” as she focused on healing.
Daniel Leal – WPA Pool/Getty Images Princess Kate Middleton chose to address her ongoing cancer battle in her own time. Kate’s last official public appearance before taking a break was in December 2023. One month later, Kensington Palace confirmed that Kate wouldn’t be involved in any royal engagements until after April at the earliest due […]
The princess confirmed on Friday, June 14, that she would be in attendance on Saturday with their three kids.
“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,” she said in a statement. “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.”
The world watched in awe as Prince William and Princess Kate wed at Westminster Abbey in London on April 29, 2011, and years later, commoners still stand impressed with the couple. Though they didn’t tie the knot until 2011, Kate and William first met 10 years prior while studying history at Scotland’s University of St […]
Amid Kate’s ongoing recovery, a source exclusively told Us Weekly earlier this month that her team is “reevaluating what she’s going to be able to take on when she comes back,” although she “may never come back in the role that people saw her in before.”
As for William, he has carried on with his public-facing role while Kate and Charles, 75, received treatment for cancer.
Several British royals have been diagnosed with various forms of cancer since the start of their family’s reign. Buckingham Palace announced in February 2024 that King Charles III received a cancer diagnosis one week after he was admitted to The London Clinic to undergo treatment for an enlarged prostate. “During The King’s recent hospital procedure […]
“It’s been stressful,” an insider told Us in April. “William feels a profound sense of duty to uphold the monarchy’s stability and inspire confidence in the public that everything will be OK. It’s an immense responsibility.”
That same month, royal author Robert Jobson told Hello! that the couple’s “ups and downs” over the years have “cemented their bond, which is now unshakeable.”
“It has been tough on both of them, not least as parents, as they try to reconcile their children’s mental wellbeing and the seriousness of her diagnosis,” Jobson added. “But there is no question that William has been Catherine’s rock. He is the constant in her life and she is at the heart of his.”
