Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales pulled out of attending the Royal Ascot, the annual racing meet in Berkshire in England on Wednesday. The mother-of-three reportedly cancelled her engagement to the event last minute sparking concerns about her health.
Royal insiders, however, maintained that it was only a matter of crossed wires and that there was nothing to be concerned about. Kate, 43, is still juggling the obligations of her public duties with the realities of her recovery from cancer.
The five-day Royal Ascot horse racing event is the focal point of Britain’s summer social season with members of the royal family in attendance.
Prince William was supposed to present race awards on Wednesday, so racegoers had hoped to catch a glimpse of Kate.
The Princess of Wales had attended the annual Garter Day service at St George’s Chapel on Monday.
The Prince of Wales, 42, was joined by his mother-in-law Carole Middleton alongside her daughter-in-law Alizee Thevenet, the wife of Kate’s brother James Middleton.
King Charles III, Queen Camilla, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, the King’s cousin, Lady Sarah Chatto, and her husband, Daniel, Mike and Zara Tindall attended the races.
William and Kate’s closest friends were also present including Lucy van Straubenzee. Lucy was a teacher at Prince George and Princess Charlotte’s old school Thomas’s Battersea and married William’s childhood friend and a property mogul, Thomas van Straubenzee, in 2020.
Lady Laura Meade is married to William’s best man, James Meade. She is also Prince Louis’ godmother.
The British royal family had a special guest at the annual equestrian racing event–Prince Faisal bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud of Saudi Arabia.
William awarded the trophy to jockey William Buick, after he won the Prince of Wales’s Stakes on horse Ombudsman.
Meanwhile, Kate has been gradually resuming her public duties since last fall, when she announced she had finished her chemotherapy and would resume her job. She stated at the time that she would “take each day as it comes” and that it would take a while for her to fully heal.
Six months after disclosing she had an undisclosed type of cancer, Kate announced in a video statement on Sept 9 that she had finished her treatment.
The royal family’s capacity to maintain its hectic schedule of public appearances was strained when the announcement was made, six weeks after Buckingham Palace revealed the King was also undergoing cancer treatment. Charles has resumed his public duties as well.