Kate, Princess of Wales, makes first public appearance since diagnosis

Kate, Britain’s Princess of Wales, made her first public appearance on Saturday since surgery five months ago revealed the presence of cancer.

Kate, wearing a pale outfit, rode in a carriage with her three children before the “Trooping the Colour”, an annual military parade near Buckingham Palace in central London that marks the official birthday of the British monarch, King Charles.

Charles rode in a separate carriage with Queen Camilla, followed by Prince William, Charles’ heir and Kate’s husband, who was on horseback along with other senior members of the royal family. 

Kate, 42, has undergone preventative chemotherapy since the cancer announcement, and while treatment is continuing, her improved health meant she was able to appear in public for the first time since last December.

In a rare personal written message on Friday, she said she was making good progress but was “not out of the woods”. She said she was looking forward to attending Saturday’s parade and hoped to join a few public engagements over the summer.

Kate spent two weeks in hospital in January after she underwent major abdominal surgery, and two months later she announced in a video message that tests had revealed the presence of cancer.

In her message on Friday, Kate said she had been “blown away” by thousands of kind messages from across the globe, which had made a world of difference to her and William.

“I am making good progress, but as anyone going through chemotherapy will know, there are good days and bad days,” Kate’s statement said.

Her office, Kensington Palace, has declined to give any details about the type of cancer or about her treatment, other than to say the preventative chemotherapy had begun in February.

Her illness has coincided with that of Charles, 75, who has also been undergoing treatment for cancer. He returned to public duties in April, and has remained busy, although his diary commitments are being limited to minimise risks to his recovery.

REUTERS