NEW DELHI: The Princess of Wales, Kate, announced on Friday that she is making progress in her cancer treatment and plans to attend the King’s Birthday Parade on Saturday. This will be her first public appearance since her diagnosis in March, when she revealed she was undergoing chemotherapy for an undisclosed form of cancer.
In a statement, the 42-year-old wife of Prince William acknowledged the challenges of chemotherapy, saying, “I am making good progress, but as anyone going through chemotherapy will know, there are good days and bad days.” She also mentioned that she has a few more months of treatment ahead of her.
Kate expressed her eagerness to attend the King’s Birthday Parade this weekend with her family and hopes to participate in a few public engagements over the summer. However, she also acknowledged that she is “not out of the woods yet.” The palace released a new photo of Kate, taken in Windsor earlier this week, showing her casually dressed in jeans and a blazer next to a tree.
The palace confirmed that King Charles, who is also being treated for an undisclosed form of cancer, is delighted that Kate will attend Trooping the Color, also known as the King’s Birthday Parade. Kate is expected to travel in a horse-drawn carriage from Buckingham Palace with her children before watching the ceremony from a building beside the parade ground. She may also join other royals for a traditional Buckingham Palace balcony appearance.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak praised the princess’ statement, calling it “wonderful news” and commending her bravery and honesty. Kate thanked members of the public for their support and encouragement, saying she was “blown away” by all the kind messages. She also shared her journey of learning patience and taking each day as it comes while allowing herself the time to heal.
King Charles, who disclosed his cancer in February, has recently eased back into public duties and attended commemorations for the 80th anniversary of D-Day. He is likely to travel to Saturday’s event by carriage with Queen Camilla and is expected to watch the ceremony seated on a dais, rather than on horseback as he did last year.