(London) Cancer-stricken Princess Kate announced her official return to public on Saturday for King Charles III’s birthday parade, delighting in “good progress” with her treatment but acknowledging she is not “pulled business”.
In a message published Friday evening on social networks, the wife of Prince William, who has not been seen in public since Christmas, gives for the first time news of her health since the announcement of her illness in a video at the end of March.
The woman who everyone considers the glamorous asset of the royal family appeared tired after weeks of silence which had fueled speculation.
“I’m making good progress, but as anyone going through chemotherapy knows, there are good days and bad days,” Kate, 42, wrote in her post, alongside a photo taken this week in Windsor according to her services.
She specifies that her treatment must continue “for several more months” and describes how on the most difficult days, she feels “weak, tired”, and conversely wants to “make the most of” the moments when she feels better.
“It’s a joy to participate in school life (of his three children, George, Charlotte and Louis), to devote time to things that give me energy and optimism” or even to “do a little teleworking,” adds the princess.
“I’m looking forward to attending the King’s Birthday Parade this weekend with my family and hope to be able to take part in some public engagements this summer, knowing I’m not out of the woods yet,” she announces again.
The sovereign will celebrate his 76th birthday on November 14, but tradition dictates that a public ceremony, with a military parade and an appearance by the royal family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, is organized in June.
The princess should thus travel the Mall, the main avenue which leads to Buckingham Palace, in a carriage, accompanied by her three children, and join the other members of the royal family after the military parade of the “Salute to the Colors” (“Trooping the color”) for the greeting on the balcony.
As a colonel of the Irish Guards, the Princess of Wales usually attends these festivities, notably reviewing a regiment of soldiers.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he was “delighted” that the Princess of Wales could attend the ceremony, welcoming an announcement “particularly important for those battling cancer and their families”.
This year, Charles III, who also suffers from cancer, will participate in the military parade in a carriage and not on horseback as last year, the palace recently clarified.
Shortly before her cancer became official, a photo of the princess with her children published on social networks sparked controversy.
This photo had been unpublished by the main world press agencies, including AFP, because it had been digitally manipulated, reigniting speculation about the state of health of the princess, despite her written apology published by the palace in the process.
Kensington Palace, however, has never specified what type of cancer the princess is suffering from.
During some of his public engagements, Prince William has also remained laconic, for example contenting himself with asserting in mid-May that she was “doing well” during a visit to the Scilly Islands off the south -west of England.
Kate, however, maintained the tradition that she herself had started by publishing on social networks photos taken by her of her children, Louis (6 years old at the end of April) and Charlotte (9 years old at the beginning of May), on the occasion of their birthday.
For his part, the king resumed his public activities at the end of April, for example going to France at the beginning of June with Queen Camilla for the celebrations of the 80th anniversary of the Normandy landings.
The King and Queen will then receive Emperor Naruhito of Japan and his wife Empress Masako at the end of June for a state visit at the invitation of the British government.