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Kate's comeback? MoD reveals Princess is due to attend Trooping the Colour in June - as cancer-stricken King Charles smiles as he holds Buckingham Palace audience with Chancellor Jeremy Hunt
The Princess of Wales will attend Trooping the Colour in three months' time as part of her comeback to royal duties after Easter following surgery, it emerged today.
The Ministry of Defence confirmed that Kate Middleton will be present at the military parade on Saturday, June 8 at Horse Guards Parade in Westminster.
Tickets are now being sold on the site for the spectacle on the weekend before the main Trooping the Colour ceremony, which is normally reviewed by the monarch.
But while this is Kate's first official duty to be announced since she underwent surgery, Kensington Palace has not yet confirmed her attendance. MailOnline understands that Palace officials were not consulted on the update from the MoD.
A royal source added that attendance by Prince William or Kate at events is always announced by the Palace, not the MoD. But it appears the MoD hopes Kate will be well enough to attend one of the key ceremonial events in the Armed Forces' year.
Only the Palace can announce Kate's attendance at a royal event - and confirmation is not expected until nearer the time. MailOnline contacted the MoD for comment, but questions were directed to the Palace, which has also not issued a statement.
Also this morning, King Charles met Chancellor Jeremy Hunt ahead of tomorrow's Budget in a meeting at Buckingham Palace as his cancer treatment continues.
And royal officials also confirmed today that Queen Camilla will lead the Royal Family at the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey next Monday.
Prince William, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, the Princess Royal, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and the Duke of Kent will also be at the event in London.
The Ministry of Defence confirmed today that Kate will attend Trooping the Colour on June 8
The general public can watch from the stands by applying for tickets via the MoD website
King Charles is pictured with Chancellor Jeremy Hunt at Buckingham Palace in London today
King Charles and Jeremy Hunt shake hands at Buckingham Palace today ahead of the Budget
When Kate attends Trooping the Colour, it will be almost exactly the same as when the King reviews the parade - with the exception of fewer mounted officers riding.
ANALYSIS: Should have been consultation with Kensington Palace
By PHIL DAMPIER
I’m sure the Princess of Wales will be well enough to attend Trooping the Colour and Kensington Palace has said that she’s recovering well from abdominal surgery.
We will probably see her at Easter and then hopefully a lot of the wild rumours going about online will die down.
Having said that it doesn’t help when you get mix ups about announcements like this.
It’s not up to the Ministry of Defence to tell us months in advance if she will be there, especially as she has not been seen for a couple of months and there has been a lot of speculation.
There should have been consultation with Kensington Palace and they should all be singing from the same song sheet.
We all hope the King and Kate will be well enough to resume duties soon, but they must take their recoveries one step at a time, and it doesn’t help saying they will be at this event or that event so far into the future.
We know that the King and Queen Camilla are due at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa later in the year, and then are due in Australia and New Zealand, as confirmed the other day by the Australian Prime Minister.
But both the King and Kate will act on the advice of their doctors and they won’t want them stressing about events in several months’ time.
If an announcement is made and then withdrawn it only fuels conspiracy theories so it’s essential that all departments dealing with these events talk to each other.
Phil Dampier is a journalist and author who has been writing about the British Royal Family for more than 35 years.
Some 1,400 soldiers from the Household Division and The King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery will take part, including 400 musicians from the Massed Bands.
They will parade on Horse Guards for the second of two formal reviews, while there will also be 250 soldiers from the Foot Guards lining the route along The Mall.
There are two further Trooping the Colour parades being advertised by the MoD - one reviewed by Major General James Bowder on June 1 and another by King Charles III on June 15. Buckingham Palace has not yet confirmed the monarch's attendance.
The general public can watch from the stands on Horse Guards Parade by applying for tickets via the MoD website, which cost £15. The parade will finish by 12.25pm.
There will also be a limited view from standing in public vantage points on The Mall or on the edge of St James's Park overlooking Horse Guards Parade from 9am.
Charles is receiving treatment for cancer and Kate is recovering from abdominal surgery, but it is understood that planning for major royal events continues with organisers remaining flexible in the event of possible changes.
Speaking about the announcement 'mix-up', royal expert Phil Dampier told MailOnline today: 'I'm sure the Princess of Wales will be well enough to attend Trooping the Colour and Kensington Palace has said that she's recovering well from abdominal surgery.
'We will probably see her at Easter and then hopefully a lot of the wild rumours going about online will die down. Having said that it doesn't help when you get mix-ups about announcements like this.'
He said it was 'not up to the Ministry of Defence to tell us months in advance if she will be there', especially given speculation surrounding for health as she has not attended a royal event since last December.
Mr Dampier continued: 'There should have been consultation with Kensington Palace and they should all be singing from the same song sheet.
'We all hope the King and Kate will be well enough to resume duties soon, but they must take their recoveries one step at a time, and it doesn't help saying they will be at this event or that event so far into the future.'
He added that Charles and Camilla are due at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa later this year – as well as in Australia and New Zealand, as confirmed earlier this week by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
But Mr Dampier also said: 'Both the King and Kate will act on the advice of their doctors and they won't want them stressing about events in several months' time.
King Charles III is pictured arriving at Clarence House this morning as his treatment continues
The King, pictured arriving at Clarence House in London today, is receiving cancer treatment
'If an announcement is made and then withdrawn it only fuels conspiracy theories so it's essential that all departments dealing with these events talk to each other.'
Trooping the Colour has marked the official birthday of the British Sovereign for more than 260 years. The parade sees more than 1,400 soldiers, 200 horses and 400 musicians join together each June in a display of military precision and fanfare.
On a ticket booking website for Trooping the Colour, the MoD said Kate, as Colonel of the Irish Guards, will carry out the inspection during the event on June 8.
A section on the event information said: 'Trooping the Colour reviewed by Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales is identical to Trooping the Colour reviewed by His Majesty The King, with the exception that some additional mounted officers ride when His Majesty The King is present.
'Taking part will be over 1,400 soldiers of the Household Division and The King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery, including 400 musicians from the Massed Bands, all of whom will parade on Horse Guards for the second of two formal Reviews.
'Trooping the Colour reviewed by Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales also includes 250 soldiers from the Foot Guards who will line the processional route along The Mall.
'The soldiers will be inspected by Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales, Colonel Irish Guards.'
Kate is not set to return to official duties until after Easter, and William temporarily stepped back from his royal role to juggle caring for her and their children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.
The Princess was admitted to the London Clinic for a planned operation on January 16 and left the hospital on January 29 - almost two weeks later.
The 42-year-old then returned to Adelaide Cottage in Windsor to be reunited with her three children. Details of the Princess's condition have not been revealed.
Kensington Palace however said previously it was not cancer-related and that Kate wished her personal medical information to remain private.
2023 -- Prince William and Kate with their children Prince George, Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte at Buckingham Palace for Trooping The Colour in London on June 17 last year
A week after the Princess left hospital, Buckingham Palace announced King Charles III had been diagnosed with cancer and was receiving treatment.
Kate's parents, Carole and Michael Middleton, and siblings, Pippa Matthews and James Middleton, are thought to be hands-on in helping the Waleses.
Aides previously insisted that Kate would be out of sight until after Easter, but she is likely to be working behind the scenes on her early years projects.
Yesterday, TMZ published a photograph of Kate near Windsor Castle in the passenger seat of a black Audi car being driven by her mother Carole Middleton.
The photo of Kate, who was wearing dark sunglasses, is the first of her since she was pictured during a Christmas Day walk in Sandringham, Norfolk.
Last Friday, the Prince of Wales was asked 'William, how's Catherine?' during his visit to Wrexham AFC's Racecourse Ground to mark St David's Day, but did not respond to the question.
William receives flowers for Kate from All Saints' Primary School pupils in Wrexham last Friday
Later, William thanked a group of schoolchildren for giving him a bouquet of flowers for Kate while visiting a school.
They gave him Welsh dragon toys for his three children - and then flowers for Kate. The Prince told them: 'I'll pass them onto Catherine as well, thank you very much.'
Meanwhile, Kate's 'black sheep' uncle Gary Goldsmith - the brother of Carole - praised her as 'perfect' as he entered the Celebrity Big Brother house last night. He added that she could be watching the new ITV programme from 'behind a sofa'.
Asked by presenter AJ Odudu if Kate would be watching, 58-year-old Mr Goldsmith said: 'If she is it will be behind a sofa, I guess... It'll be a nice one in a nice house, I can guarantee that.'
In a pre-recorded interview which aired before he entered the house, Goldsmith said: 'She is simply perfect.
'First time I met William, Catherine was cooking and William said, 'Hi, do you want a cup of tea?' Very normal.'
Towards the end of the programme, he told fellow housemate Fern Britton 'I absolutely adore my family' after the TV presenter praised his decision to come on the show.
Speaking to The Sun before entering the house, Goldsmith described his niece as a 'doting mum'.
'She's beautiful on the outside, but more beautiful on the inside and really is a doting mum... so the way the monarchy is moving, it's family-centric.'
Kate was last seen at a royal event on Christmas Day 2023 with her family at Sandringham
He added he became 'upset' with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex 'because you don't put a stick into that spoke and reinvent history'.
'Throwing your family under the bus just seemed inappropriate, especially what was happening with the Queen. I just thought it was totally unnecessary,' he added.
In Charles's absence from public duties, Camilla has become the most senior royal performing engagements – and led the Royal Family at the service for King Constantine last week.
This year has seen a sudden shortage of frontline royals after Charles and Kate both went into hospital around the same time.
And the family's health woes have left William shouldering more of the burden of public duties while at the same time supporting Kate and helping care for their children.
Charles was admitted for surgery for a benign prostate condition, but subsequently diagnosed with an unrelated cancer. The monarch has withdrawn from public-facing duties while he undergoes treatment.