SARAH VINE: Kate’s a star and we’ve missed her. This joyful picture will stop the silly speculation – and give us all a much needed boost
At the end of a rather gloomy week, an unexpected ray of sunshine: the Princess of Wales will attend the Trooping the Color tomorrow together with her children George, Charlotte and Louis.
This is extremely uplifting news. As well as being a welcome distraction from the four horsemen of the impending political apocalypse (Sunak, Starmer, Farage and Davey), it’s also the perfect time for the Princess to dip her toe back into public life – although Kensington Palace is does everything she can to explain that she will certainly not return to work full-time, because she still has to complete several rounds of chemotherapy.
They have made it very clear that as much as she wants to resume her role as a full-time working royal, the Princess’s health remains the Royal Family’s top priority, as well as her privacy during this difficult time.
Kate is pictured in the gardens of Kensington Palace, before Trooping the Colour
The Princess of Wales arrives in a horse-drawn carriage for Trooping the Color in 2023
The Princess of Wales is not yet returning full-time to her role as a working royal, but will attend Trooping the Color tomorrow
Absolutely right too. Despite intense speculation and swirling conspiracies about her illness (especially on social media), the princess has every right to manage her recovery process as she sees fit.
Cancer is not a one-size-fits-all disease. It affects everyone very differently. Sometimes people feel the need to share what is happening to them; sometimes they just want to be left alone to process it all in private.
Kate stands on the balcony of Buckingham Palace with Prince William and their children
The Colonel’s Review Parade, which took place as part of last year’s festivities
King Charles has chosen the former, the Princess the latter – and that’s fine. The important thing is that they both recover.
It’s interesting that she’s chosen a fairly formal event for her return and not, say, something like the Chelsea Flower Show, which some might see as slightly more her style.
But unlike some royal spouses I could mention, she is not one to monopolize the proceedings. The Princess of Wales understands the task and always puts duty before self. She knows how important the King’s official birthday parade is in the royal calendar, and how much her efforts to be there, despite her poor health, will be appreciated by the public.
It will also be a great show of strength and mutual support, a signal that the Royals are more united than ever in the face of adversity.
There may also be an element of soft diplomacy in this decision, as there was all the unrest in March when the Ministry of Defense announced that she would be present, only for the Palace to issue a denial. That was a bit of a messy time for everyone with a ton of crossed wires, so maybe this is her way of drawing a line under it.
It’s also true that conspiracy loves a vacuum, and so perhaps the purpose of this appearance is also to put an end to foolish speculation, especially on social media.
If the latest photo of her, taken a few days ago in the gardens of Windsor Castle, is anything to go by, she is doing very well indeed.
Standing alone under a mighty willow tree, surrounded by greenery, she looks serene and rather pensive. It is a peaceful, somewhat melancholy image, very different from the glitz and glamor with which she is normally associated. Not that she looks any less chic, in a simple white T-shirt and sneakers, skinny jeans and blazer. The only hint of sparkle is her engagement ring, which is firmly in place.
At tomorrow’s ceremony, all eyes will be on the princess, and rightly so. She’s a star, and we all missed her. I can’t wait to see her back at full strength.