“I am looking forward to taking part in the King's Birthday Parade with my family this weekend and I also hope to take part in several public events over the summer,” the princess said.
Kate Middleton made her tentative return to British public life on Saturday for the first time since her cancer diagnosis, attending a military parade in London marking the official birthday of King Charles III.
As is widely known, Kate rode in the State Coach with their three children at the start of the annual event, and then watched the proceedings from the grandstand.
The future queen, 42, then appeared on the balcony of Buckingham Palace to cheers from the crowd who had gathered in pouring rain to watch the ceremony.
This comes nearly three months after the princess revealed she was undergoing chemotherapy – she had not been seen in public since last year's Christmas service.
In a statement on Friday night, Kate said her treatment was “progressing well” and that it would take several more months, but that she was “not out of the woods yet.”
“I am looking forward to participating in the King's Birthday Parade with my family this weekend and I also hope to take part in several public events over the summer,” the princess added.
Kate's cancer announcement comes just weeks after it was revealed that her father-in-law, Prince Charles, the British head of state, had also been diagnosed with the same disease.
Neither has disclosed the type of cancer they have.
Kate delights audiences in return for Trooping the Colour
Prince Charles, 75, was given the go-ahead to return to royal duties in April after doctors said they were “very encouraged” by his recovery.
His first job was to meet staff and patients at a cancer treatment centre in London.
Earlier this month, he attended events in northern France marking the 80th anniversary of the Normandy landings.
However, unlike last year, when Prince Charles rode on horseback to the military flag ceremony, this year he and Camilla took part in the tour in a carriage, dressed in military uniform.
His eldest son and heir, William, 41, was also seen in military uniform and riding a horse.
Wearing a white dress and hat, Kate was seen arriving at the palace by car with Prince William and their children — Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6 — ahead of the parade.
The ceremony culminated a few hours later with a Royal Air Force flyover showcasing a range of aircraft, including the Red Arrows aerobatic team towing their red, white and blue aircraft.
Kate stood alongside other royals, flashing a smile at times, as senior members of the royal family looked on from a balcony.
Crowds welcomed her tentative return to public life.
“I was so happy to hear the news last night,” Angela Perry, a teacher in her 50s from Reading, told AFP.
“She's our future queen. She's very important,” she added, calling Kate's return “encouraging.”
Royal sources are keen to manage expectations for Kate's gradual return to public life, insisting that her return depends on her treatment and recovery.
In a statement, Kate explained that she had “good days and bad days” and “just took each day as it came.”
Military March: Tradition and Protest Mark Charles' Official Birthday
The March of the Colour celebrates the official birthday of the British monarch and is a meticulously choreographed military tradition that dates back more than two centuries.
Starting at Buckingham Palace, the walk continues down The Mall to Horse Guards Parade, where Prince Charles receives a royal salute before inspecting the troops.
Though Charles was actually born in November, the tradition of a second birthday dates back to 1748, when King George II wanted to celebrate in better weather because his own birthday was in October.
However, heavy rain fell during Saturday's ceremony.
The event has its origins in preparation for war, when all regimental colors were displayed to soldiers so that they could recognize their regimental standard, or colors, in the confusion of battle.
This year's parade included three of the five war horses that galloped through the streets of central London in April after being startled by the noise of building works.
The Metropolitan Police deployed a “significant” security operation and worked with anti-royalist group Republic, which protested on The Mall.
Police said they had banned “amplified sound” in and around the parade route for public safety reasons and to avoid disrupting the participating mounted regiments.
As the parade passed, pro-Republic activists chanted slogans and held up signs with slogans such as “Not my king” and “Down with the crown”.
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