All it took was one report that the Princess of Wales was “considering” a surprise Buckingham Palace balcony appearance at June 15’s Trooping the Colour if she was feeling well enough and up to it to spark hope amongst an army of royal followers. The public hasn’t seen Kate on royal duty since Christmas Day 2023, when she attended church at St. Mary Magdalene on the Sandringham Estate with the rest of the royal family—nearly six long months without the woman who many would consider the lifeblood of the institution.
Of course, Kate has had other pressing items on her mind that are decidedly not royal-related—namely, her health, after being diagnosed with cancer earlier this year. As to an appearance at Saturday’s birthday parade for her father-in-law, King Charles? Well, according to royal author Katie Nicholl, that prospect is unfortunately “incredibly unlikely”—but don’t rule out the appearance of her kids Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, regular fixtures at the annual event, who could attend with their father, Prince William.
“She has made it very clear that she wants to stay out of the spotlight,” Nicholl told Entertainment Tonight. “She needs this period and below the radar for her recovery. We’re so used to seeing her up on that balcony.”
Nicholl said she herself had been wondering whether George, Charlotte, and Louis would attend; though we’ve seen George attend a sporting event with his dad, as Kate has remained out of the public eye for the entirety of 2024, so, too, have the kids. “They’ve been up there several times now,” Nicholl said of the three kids’ appearance on the iconic balcony. “They are always impeccably behaved, often entertaining, and they always seem to enjoy it. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if William makes the decision to bring them.”
She added “They’re not working members of the royal family yet, but they will be. Prince George is a future king, so for the public to be able to see George, Charlotte, and Louis on occasions like this is really quite important.”
The countdown is on for Saturday’s event, which is the annual birthday celebration of the monarch (despite King Charles’ actual birthday being in November—and the late Queen Elizabeth’s being in April—June was chosen for the event because of the generally favorable weather in London at the time). According to Tatler, the parade will feature 1,400 soldiers, 200 horses, 400 musicians, and, if we have our way, hopefully three very, very adorable Wales children.
