Kate Middleton has broken her silence ahead of next weekend’s annual military flag parade to mark King Charles III’s birthday.
On Saturday, the Irish Guards released a letter from the Princess of Wales, who is currently undergoing treatment for cancer, in which she expressed disappointment at being unable to attend rehearsal on June 8.
“In anticipation of the Colonel’s parade and flag raising ceremony, I wanted to let you know how proud I am of my entire regiment and thank all of you joining this year for the many months of training and hours of hard work you have put in to get your uniforms and drills perfect,” Middleton wrote in the letter, which was shared on X.
Kate Middleton to prioritize children this summer as she battles cancer, says expert: “She doesn’t want to worry the royal family”
Kate Middleton was due to appear at the Trooping the Colour ceremony in June but was later removed from the programme. (Chris Jackson)
“I would like to thank all of the members taking part this year for the many months of training and hours they have put in to ensure their uniforms and training are perfect,” added Middleton, who is an honorary colonel of the Irish Guards.
“It remains a great honor to be a colonel, and I am very disappointed that I will not be able to receive the salute at this year’s Colonel’s Parade,” she continued. “Please convey my apologies to the entire regiment, but I sincerely hope to be able to represent you all again in the near future. Please convey my heartfelt congratulations and best wishes to all involved.”
The Princess of Wales signed the letter “Colonel Catherine.”
“The Irish Guards were deeply moved this morning to receive a letter from Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales, the Colonel. We continue to offer our prayers for Her Majesty’s recovery and heartfelt congratulations. Quis Separabit @KensingtonRoyal @ArmyInLondon,” the Irish Guards wrote on X, alongside an image of the letter.
On Thursday, a Kensington Palace spokesperson confirmed to Fox News Digital that Prince Charles will not attend the traditional Colonel’s Review and receive a salute on June 8. Instead, she will continue to focus on her recovery.
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The honour will go to Lieutenant General James Bucknall, KCB, CBE. Kensington Palace has not officially announced whether the Princess will attend this year’s flag ceremony.
“King Charles and Prince William have repeatedly stressed to Prince Charles that he should not feel pressured to return to royal duties until he is ready,” Kinsey Schofield, host of the “To Di For Daily” podcast, recently told Fox News Digital.
Kate Middleton and Prince Charles shared a private lunch together before she announced her cancer diagnosis in March. (Getty Images)
“The Palace will not be making any official announcements about Kate’s potential return – that will be up to her doctors and ultimately her choice,” she added.
Middleton has kept a low profile since revealing her diagnosis in March.
Kate Middleton won’t ‘hide in the shadows’, plans to fully return to royal life: expert
“These past few months have been incredibly difficult for our entire family,” she said in the video, “but I have an incredible medical team who have taken such great care of me, and I am so grateful.”
Kate Middleton announced to the world that she had cancer in a recorded message shared in early March. (Prince Charles and Princess Charles Twitter)
Kate added that after the cancer was discovered, she was “advised to undergo preventive chemotherapy and is currently in the early stages of treatment,” and said she had informed her three children — Prince George, 10, Prince Louis, 6, and Princess Charlotte, 9.
“I am doing well and getting stronger every day by focusing on the things that are helping to heal my mind, body and soul,” the royal said. “Having William by my side is a great source of comfort and security to me, as is the love, support and kindness shown to us by all of you. It means so much to us.”
The palace said Kate Middleton’s abdominal surgery was planned. (Samir Hussain/Getty Images)
She also touched on her work, saying, “My work has always brought me deep joy and I look forward to returning to work when I take the next step. But for now, I must focus on making a full recovery.”
“The Princess will not be returning to work until she has been cleared by her medical team and her main duties will remain focused on caring for her young children,” a Kensington Palace spokesperson told Fox News Digital at the time.
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There has been much speculation about whether Middleton will return to royal duties. “King.” He recently told Fox News Digital that he has “no doubt” Princess will return when she’s ready.
“Kate has cancer and it’s understandable that she’s staying out of the public eye at the moment,” he said. “I’m confident that she will return to the public eye once she feels satisfied that she has done everything the doctors have told her to do to beat this disease.”
Kate Middleton won’t attend royal military parade; expert says she ‘feels no pressure’ to return to the royal family
It is unclear whether Kate Middleton will attend Trooping the Colour next weekend. (Max Mumby/Getty Images)
“Kate puts her family first, but she also puts her duty to country first,” Andersen continued. “She is very aware of her role as Princess of Wales, the future queen, wife to the future king and mother to a future monarch. Kate didn’t wait 10 years to get her hands on a prince and ultimately step into the shadows.”
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Fox News Digital’s Stephanie Nolasco and Ashley Papa contributed to this post.
