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Back in January, Kate Middleton announced that she’s in remission from cancer.
And in the months since, she’s resumed her busy work schedule, making public appearances at a furious pace.
On Tuesday, however, the Princess of Wales abruptly canceled a planned appearance at the second day of the Royal Ascot thoroughbred races.
According to The Times, Kate’s withdrawal comes just hours after Buckingham Palace confirmed that she and Prince William would be in attendance at today’s races.
The news came courtesy of the royal carriage seating chart, which revealed that Kate and William had been placed in the second carriage alongside golfer Justin Rose and his wife.
Kate’s sudden cancellation sparks fears among supporters
News of Kate’s last-minute cancellation comes on the heels of a string of high-profile appearances.
Over the weekend, Kate made an appearance at the king’s birthday celebration, Trooping the Colour, and on Monday, she popped up at the Order of the Garter service.
The second engagement was unannounced, and many took it as Kate’s way of saying that she’s back to 100 percent. Then came today’s withdrawal.
In 2024, Kate was also unable to attend the annual race meeting.
At the time, she issued a statement explaining that her ongoing medical treatments sometimes forced her to stay home.
“As anyone going through chemotherapy will know, there are good days and bad days. I am learning how to be patient, especially with uncertainty,” she said at the time.
Kate added that she was “taking each day as it comes”.
King Charles, Queen Camilla, Prince William, and even Kate’s mother, Carole Middleton, were all in attendance at today’s races.
Some believe the presence of so many royal family members is an indication that all is well in Kate’s world, while others have noted that this family is very big on keeping up appearances.
Whatever the case, Kate’s abrupt withdrawal is certainly out of the ordinary.
Kensington Palace source issues vague statement regarding Kate’s absence
According to the New York Times, a palace official has stated that Kate was “disappointed” to miss today’s races.
The anonymous insider did not go into specifics but implied that Kate skipped the event out of an abundance of caution, noting that she’s still working to find the “right balance” in terms of her public engagement schedule.
The newspaper notes that while Kate’s public appearances have become “routine” in recent months, “her schedule is not as busy as it was before her illness.”
We’ll have further updates on this developing story as new information becomes available.
