A royal expert has said a ‘big question’ remains as to whether the Princess of Wales could appear on the Buckingham Palace balcony at Trooping the Colour on Saturday.
Kate, 42, who is undergoing cancer treatment, did not attend the Colonel’s Review on June 8 – which is the traditional rehearsal for the sovereign’s official birthday parade.
But Rebecca English, The Daily Mail’s Royal Editor, suggested to this week’s Palace Confidential that an appearance from the royal at this weekend’s event in London, should not be completely ruled out amid ‘persistent rumours’ she might appear on the balcony.
‘What’s very interesting, is that when I’ve asked both Kensington Palace and Buckingham Palace about it this week, it’s been not saying a word,’ said the expert.
She continued: ‘I mean look, if she is there. Fantastic. People will be delighted to see her. If she isn’t, don’t read anything into it because she never said she would be. I think it will be a bonus.’
King Charles III and Queen Camilla wave alongside Prince William, Prince Louis, the Princess of Wales, Princess Charlotte and Prince George on the Buckingham Palace balcony during Trooping the Colour on June 17, 2023 in London
Earlier in the show, Rebecca had explained how the King, 75, who is also undergoing cancer treatment, is set to attend Trooping the Colour.
‘It’s great that [the King] is going to there,’ she said. ‘Queen Camilla will be there, we’ll have Prince Edward, Princess Anne, Prince of Wales on horseback, we’ll have all the pomp and pageantry, but it’s just going to be in a slightly more comfortable way for him.’
‘For me, actually, the big question is whether the Princess of Wales will be there on the balcony afterwards, that is a rumour that just hasn’t gone away over the last few weeks.
‘She’s made very clear, “look when my doctors say I’m ready to dip my toe back in, I will happily do that”, but it’s certainly been a persistent rumour.
‘I spoke to somebody a few weeks ago and said “what do you think?” And they said, “I wouldn’t count on it”.
‘But it hasn’t gone away, and what’s very interesting, is that when I’ve asked both Kensington Palace and Buckingham Palace about it this week, it’s been not saying a word… I think watch this space.’
MailOnline has contacted both Kensington Palace and Buckingham Palace.
Rebecca’s comments come after the Daily Mirror reported last month that the Princess is thought to be considering walking onto the famous balcony if she is feeling well enough.
Kate continues to stay away from public royal duties during her chemotherapy while resting at home, and will only return when doctors give her the all-clear.
Rebecca English (pictured), Royal Editor at the Daily Mail, suggested to this week’s Palace Confidential that an appearance from the mother-of-three at this weekend’s event should not be completely ruled out
Kate and her family attend the Christmas Day service at St Mary Magdalene Church on December 25, 2023 in Sandringham
Last Saturday, Kate apologised for missing out on a key rehearsal for Trooping The Colour.
The Princess wrote a letter to the Irish Guards, who are presenting their colours to the King this year, saying: ‘I hope I am able to represent you all very soon’.
Kate missed out on what would have been her first Colonel’s Review. The event is a dress rehearsal for Trooping The Colour and would have seen her take the salute as the new Colonel-in-Chief of the Irish Guards.
Insiders have long emphasised that every cancer ‘journey’ is individual and believe speculation over whether Kate will attend key events such as Trooping create unnecessary pressure at a time when she has asked for space and privacy.
The Colonel’s Review comes before the King’s official birthday celebrations on Saturday June 15, including their traditional Buckingham Palace balcony appearance.
It is identical to The King’s Birthday Parade, with the exception that some additional mounted officers ride on the latter.
The Irish Guards have responded to the Princess’s letter on Twitter, writing: ‘The Irish Guards were deeply touched to receive a letter from our Colonel, Her Royal Highness, The Princess of Wales this morning.
‘We continue to wish Her Royal Highness well in her recovery and send her our very best wishes.’
Meanwhile Buckingham Palace did confirm previously the Daily Mail’s exclusive story in March that King Charles planned to attend Trooping and review the soldiers from a carriage, on doctor’s advice, with Queen Camilla.
He has previously taken part on horseback but it has been deemed prudent, given the length of the ceremony and the unpredictable weather, for him to be seated in an Ascot landau.
His Majesty is still undergoing treatment for his own unspecified cancer diagnosis.
He has now been given permission by his doctors to undertake more forward-facing public duties, although officials have stressed they need to carefully review each potential engagement, with adaptations made where necessary to prioritise his recovery.
While palace officials have been forced to cancel a number of public engagements in light of the General Election, key national and ceremonial events such as Trooping are not affected.
Kate, 42, who is undergoing cancer treatment, did not attend the Colonel’s Review on June 8 – which is the traditional rehearsal for the sovereign’s official birthday parade
The Princess of Wales wrote a letter to the Irish Guards, saying: ‘I hope I am able to represent you all very soon’
A guard is pictured saluting at the Colonel’s Review parade on June 8 which is part of the Trooping the Colour ceremony
Earlier this year on March 5, the Ministry of Defence removed a claim made on its website that Kate would attend events to mark Trooping the Colour.
Details of her cancer have not been disclosed but she has said that she was having ‘preventative chemotherapy’.
Kensington Palace said it is confident the princess will make a full recovery.
Trooping the Colour traditionally involves the royal family gathering on the balcony of Buckingham Palace after a display of pomp and military pageantry.
Usually the monarch rides down from Buckingham Palace to Horse Guards Parade via The Mall to inspect the troops. He then rides back to the palace for the traditional balcony appearance with the wider Royal Family and flypast by the RAF.
Earlier this year on March 5, the Ministry of Defence removed a claim made on its website that Kate would attend events to mark Trooping the Colour.
Tickets had gone on sale via the Army website advertising Kate reviewing a ‘practice’ parade for the first time on June 8 in her role as honorary colonel of the Irish Guards.
It also announced that Charles would be reviewing his own official birthday parade on June 15 at Horse Guards.
But within minutes of the tickets going on sale, there were warnings that the MoD may have ‘jumped the gun’.
Kensington Palace sources made clear that they were ‘not consulted’ on the MoD announcement and said that any confirmed attendance by the Princess would be made ‘only’ by themselves.
Earlier this year on March 5, the Ministry of Defence removed a claim made on its website that Kate would attend events to mark Trooping the Colour. Tickets had gone on sale via the Army website in March advertising Kate reviewing a ‘practice’ parade for the first time on June 8 in her role as honorary colonel of the Irish Guards
But within minutes of the tickets going on sale, there were warnings that the MoD may have ‘jumped the gun’ on Kate’s attendance
Buckingham Palace also confirmed at the time that planning for future engagements was continuing despite the King’s cancer treatment, yet stressed that changes could be made nearer the time depending on his health.
The confusion added to a sense of unease around the Royal Family at that point, over fears that two of its most senior members would be largely out of action for substantial periods.
This also came before Kate revealed in an emotional video on March 23 that she was undergoing treatment for cancer.
At that point, Kate was recuperating from what was described as ‘planned abdominal surgery’ and it was seen as unlikely that she would return to duties until after Easter.
Until her cancer announcement, her absence from public events and the scant detail given about her condition and recuperation had led to wild social media conspiracy theories about what might be wrong with her.
She made clear that she needed to focus on both her recovery but also supporting her young children at a difficult time, asking for her family to be given time and space while she completed her treatment.
Although there has been no official update on her health since, The Mail understands that the princess has been seen out and about more with her family in recent weeks, which will be taken as a positive sign by many.
However earlier this week Kensington Palace stressed that she very much still needs time and space to recover.
2023 — Glorious scenes down the Mall during Trooping the Colour in London on June 17, 2023
2022 — William, Kate and their children attend Trooping the Colour in London on June 2, 2022
2021 — Trooping the Colour was held at Windsor Castle in front of the Queen on June 12, 2021
2017 — Philip speaks to William and Kate at Trooping The Colour in London on June 17, 2017
The Royal Family postponed engagements ‘which may appear to divert attention or distract from the election campaign’ after Rishi Sunak called a surprise summer General Election for July 4.
But they have continued with garden parties at Buckingham Palace and the King and Queen’s D-Day 80th anniversary appearances in Portsmouth and Normandy in June.
The Army said the Number 9 Company, Irish Guards, has been chosen to troop their colour, which means the regiment will march its ceremonial flag through the ranks at the King’s official birthday event.
The Band of the Irish Guards with the Pipes and Drums will march the troops onto the parade ground, led by regimental mascot Turlough Mor, an Irish Wolfhound also known as Seamus.
The music is set to have a ‘distinctly Irish theme’, including Celtic folk tunes and new music composed for the parade.
The annual Trooping the Colour has marked the official birthday of the British sovereign for more than 260 years.
Charles marked his first Trooping as King last year, riding onto Horse Guards in Whitehall as the nation’s head of state six weeks after his coronation.
During the celebrations, Charles and Camilla waved from the Buckingham Palace balcony as thousands of well-wishers in The Mall sang the National Anthem and gave three cheers.
The King and Queen were surrounded in 2023 by the family’s core group of working royals, including the Prince and Princess of Wales and their children.
Also on the balcony were the Princess Royal and her husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and the Duke of Kent.
Trooping changed when the Covid pandemic hit in the spring of 2020. National lockdowns were enforced, and Queen Elizabeth took part in drastically scaled-down ceremonies, alone. Trooping was temporarily moved from Horse Guards Parade to Windsor Castle.
When Trooping the Colour returned in 2022, it was a double celebration as the nation also marked the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee – 70 years of her record-breaking reign.
Although all members of her family were invited to join the party, including Prince Harry and Meghan, as well as Prince Andrew, only ‘working royals’ were invited to appear on the balcony.
This meant that the Queen avoided offending either the Sussexes, who had quit royal duties, or Andrew, who had been stripped of them.
But some argued it also ended decades of tradition, with the minor royals now banished from view.