There’s no way around it, and Kate Middleton and her royal aides must know it: The Princess of Wales will face intense scrutiny about how she looks when she makes her dramatic return to public duties Saturday at King Charles’ birthday parade, as she continues to undergo treatment for cancer.
The Princess of Wales will appear in public for the first time since Christmas 2023, and since she revealed in March that she had an unspecified form of cancer. In a personal statement released on social media Friday, she said she was making “good progress” with her chemotherapy. But she also said she’s “not out of the woods yet,” her treatment is “ongoing,” and she has “good days and bad days,” with the bad days leaving her feeling “weak, tired.”
Kate said she was “looking forward” to attending her father-in-law’s birthday parade, which is celebrated with the Trooping the Color military parade. She’s expected to ride in a carriage with her children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, before standing with royal family members on the Buckingham Palace balcony, The Telegraph reported.
The future queen must know that the focus of the global media will be upon her Saturday, with royal experts and everyone else looking to see whether she looks “weak, tired,” or finding reasons to praise her for looking “healthy” or “like herself.”
Since Kate first became known as Prince William’s college girlfriend, she has spent nearly two decades being judged by her appearance. She’s now one of the most famous women in the world and is known for her beauty and style. The mother of three usually is on the receiving end of lavish praise for the impeccable tailoring of her clothes, her slender, athletic frame and for the salon “blow-outs” of her long, glossy hair. The British tabloids and Vogue and other fashion magazines also have run online slide shows, celebrating her “best beauty moments.”
A man holds a mobile phone showing on a social media post by Britain’s Catherine, Princess of Wales, in London, on June 14, 2024. Catherine, Princess of Wales will attend the Trooping the Colour military parade this weekend, she said in a social media post on Friday, confirming her first public appearance since December. (Photo by BENJAMIN CREMEL / AFP) (Photo by BENJAMIN CREMEL/AFP via Getty Images)
Now, Kate will be seen by millions after being diagnosed with cancer. In the photo released with her statement, she looked as though she might be having one of her better days. She stood, leaning against a tree, dressed casually in a stylish blazer, jeans and trainers. Her expression is reflective, as Kate’s statement also said, “I am learning how to be patient, especially with uncertainty. Taking each day as it comes, listening to my body, and allowing myself to take this much needed time to heal.”
Cancer and its treatment are known to cause changes in how people look and feel. Loss of hair, weight loss or weight gain, swelling or skin and nail changes are some of the concerning impacts on people’s appearance, according to cancer treatment organizations, such as Cancer Research UK.
“It can be upsetting at first,” according to the Cancer Research UK website. “Some people find that they have intense feelings including grief, fear and anger. Changes to how you look can also affect your self confidence and body image.”
Ever since Kate took a break from royal duties, as she first underwent major abdominal surgery and then began chemotherapy, she has been the target of sometimes vicious online gossip about her health.
People also have dissected her appearance in the few photos and videos that have emerged since January. The analysis became especially relentless and detailed – with people focusing on parts of her body or face — after Kensington Palace released a photo of her and her children in March that was revealed to have been heavily edited.
In this handout provided by Kensington Palace, Catherine, The Princess of Wales is seen in a recorded, personal video message, providing an update on her health, recorded on March 20, 2024 in Windsor and aired on March 22, 2024 in London, England. The Princess of Wales had abdominal surgery earlier this year and has revealed that cancer has subsequently been found. She said she has been receiving chemotherapy and asked for privacy for her and her family. (Photo by BBC Studios/Kensington Palace via Getty Images)
After the princess recorded and released her video on March 22, in which she disclosed her cancer diagnosis, some of the more conspiracy-minded, including prominent online royal critics, looked for clues in her appearance to find evidence that the video was somehow faked. But even writers who praised Kate’s courage and fortitude in the video still made observations about whether she appeared “pale” or “thin.” They also commented on the stagecraft of it — the garden setting and Kate’s “everymum uniform” of striped sweater and jeans.
The royal family will no doubt be paying close attention to the stagecraft of Kate’s return to public duties, as they recognize that her presence at Trooping the Color can help them project an aura of strength and family unity.
As the Daily Beast said, the family has taken serious hits in recent years, with the 2022 death of Queen Elizabeth II, the acrimonious departure of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle and the controversy surrounding Prince Andrew. Over the past six months, the 75-year-old king also been undergoing treatment for cancer.
A spokesperson for Charles said, “His Majesty is delighted that The Princess is able to attend tomorrow’s events, and is much looking forward to all elements of the day.”
As usual, Kate will get lots of media coverage for whatever elegant dress, hat or jewels she wears. But her participation in this year’s event will come freighted with added poignancy. It’s not likely she would attend Trooping the Color unless she felt well enough to do so. In her statement, Kate said she knows “on bad days” to give in “to your body resting.” But on good days, she said, “when you feel stronger, you want to make the most of feeling well.”
On those “good” days, Kate also said, she finds it “a joy” to engage with her children’s school life, as well as to “spend personal time on the things that give me energy and positivity.” Kate also revealed that she’s begun to work from home, though she and palace aides have stressed that her appearance at Trooping the Color does not mean she is returning to her normal full schedule of work.
“I hope to join a few public engagements over the summer, but equally knowing I am not out of the woods yet,” she said.
The princess concluded her statement by thanking the public for their “continued understanding.” As with her March 22 video, she also reached out to people like her, who are living with cancer, by thanking “all of you who have so bravely shared your stories with me.”
