Kate Middleton’s attendance at Trooping the Colour this past weekend likely took a “toll” on the royal, who is currently undergoing cancer treatment and had not made a public appearance since late last year.
The Princess of Wales, 42, who attended the annual event alongside Prince William and their young family, probably won’t return to the public eye “for a little while,” royal expert Katie Nicholl told Entertainment Tonight.
“The princess has this sort of swan-like quality about her — she’s sort of gliding on the surface — but beneath the water, I think often she’s paddling quite frantically,” said Nicholl.
Though “you would never have guessed” that Kate was undergoing chemotherapy, going by her “impeccable” looks alone, Nicholl surmised that Saturday’s appearance, which commemorated King Charles’ official birthday rather than his regular one, followed “a huge amount of preparation and time and effort and energy.”
“There was a moment where she was watching the parade… and was offered a seat, which she gratefully accepted,” she continued. “That’s just a bit of an acknowledgement that she is not as strong, not as fit, as she was before she went into this treatment.”
Nicholl added that “a day like Saturday, where she knows the eyes of the world are on her, there is a huge amount of scrutiny that will take its toll,” which was probably followed by “a long and well deserved rest.
“I don’t think we can expect to see her in public for a little while,” said Nicholl.
Nicholl said it was the princess’ appearance Saturday was her “decision alone” after “she turned a corner in her treatment,” but will likely require some recovery time.
“There was no pressure on her from anyone,” said Nicholl, adding Kate “was given the sign-off by her medical team. … It was important, I think, for the Princess of Wales to be there to support her father-in-law, to be there for her family, and to be there for the nation to send out a really important message that she’s doing OK.”
The monarch, 75, is also undergoing treatment for cancer, which he announced in February, just weeks after Kate’s “successful” abdominal surgery and her decision to share news of her own cancer battle and that she was in the midst of “preventative chemotherapy.”
Kate, who had not attended a royal engagement since Christmas, announced in a statement Friday that she would attend Trooping the Colour — days after she missed the rehearsal.
Noting she was “making good progress,” Kate said she still endures “good days and bad days.
“But on the good days, when you feel stronger, you want to make the most of feeling well,” she said, adding that she was “not out of the woods yet” and had “a few more months” of treatment ahead.”
