Kensington Palace has marked Kate Middleton's return to the public eye after six long months by sharing some behind-the-scenes footage of this year's Trooping the Colour ceremony.
While festivities were still ongoing, the Palace shared a quick video of the royal family preparing for carriage rides and their iconic Buckingham Palace appearance on its various social media accounts, showing the Princess of Wales not just as a dutiful and poised royal but as a loving mother, doting on her three children throughout the proceedings.
"All set for The King’s Birthday Parade!," the Palace captioned the post, which at one point showed Kate Middleton standing behind her three children—Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis—and even playing with her daughter's long brown hair.
In another quick snippet, the Princess of Wales once again stands behind her well-dressed children as young Prince Louis gives a little royal wave.
Just one day before King Charles' annual birthday celebration, Kensington Palace announced that Princess Kate would be making a surprise appearance at this year's Trooping the Colour—a shock to many, as the Palace recently announced that Middleton would not be returning to public facing royal duties until at least the fall, and perhaps not until 2025.
"I’m looking forward to attending The King’s Birthday Parade this weekend with my family and hope to join a few public engagements over the summer, but equally knowing I am not out of the woods yet," the Princess of Wales said in a written statement shared on the Palace's many social media accounts.
"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."
Middleton went on to say that she is "making good process, but as anyone going through chemotherapy will now, there are good days and bad days."
"On those bad days you feel weak, tired and you have to give in to your body resting. But on the good days, when you feel stronger, you want to make the most of feeling well," she continued. "My treatment is ongoing and will be for a few more months. On the days I feel well enough, it is a joy to engage with school life, spend personal time on the things that give me energy and positivity, as well as starting to do a little work from home."
During her trooping the color appearance, the Princess of Wales appeared to be in good spirits—she was often seen smiling and waving to royal onlookers and those in attendance.
Her children were just as chipper during the ceremony—most notably Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. The 6-year-old prince was spotted dancing as he awaited his balcony appearance and giving a royal wave while enjoying a carriage ride with his siblings and mother.
Princess Charlotte, however, appeared to give a "don't mess with me" look to wannabe royal family conspiracy theorists, perhaps feeling somewhat protective of her mother during her first public outing in six months.
