Kate Middleton to return to royal duties for first time since 2023

Kate Middleton is set to return to royal duties for the first time in almost two years when French President Emmanual Macron and his wife Brigitte visit the UK next week.  The Princess of Wales, who revealed she had been diagnosed with cancer in March of last year, last made an appearance at a grand royal dinner 20 months ago in November 2023

According to Mirror UK, the mother-of-three – who this week opened up about her ‘rollercoaster’ recovery from cancer treatment and its life-changing impact – will greet the visitors as they arrive in the UK at RAF Northolt on 8 July.  Alongside Prince William, she will also join the King and Queen as well as the French leader and his wife for a carriage ride through Windsor.

Kensington Palace has yet to confirm whether or not the princess will attend the state banquet in St George’s Hall on Tuesday evening.  Mr Macron’s two-day state visit to the UK is the first to be hosted at Windsor Castle, rather than Buckingham Palace, in more than a decade.

Britain’s Prime Minister Rishi Sunak (L), Britain’s Queen Camilla (2L), Britain’s King Charles III (C), France’s President Emmanuel Macron (2R) and his wife Brigitte Macron attend a wreath laying ceremony during the UK Ministry of Defence and the Royal British Legion’s commemorative ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of the World War II “D-Day” Allied landings in Normandy, at the World War II British Normandy Memorial near the village of Ver-sur-Mer which overlooks Gold Beach and Juno Beach in northwestern France, on June 6, 2024. The D-Day ceremonies on June 6 this year mark the 80th anniversary since the launch of ‘Operation Overlord’, a vast military operation by Allied forces in Normandy, which turned the tide of World War II, eventually leading to the liberation of occupied France and the end of the war against Nazi Germany. (Photo by Gareth Fuller / POOL / AFP) (Photo by GARETH FULLER/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

On Wednesday, the King and Queen will take the Macrons to see Fabuleu de Maucour – a 10-year-old grey gelding which Mr Macron gifted to known horse-lover the late Queen Elizabeth II in 2022 in celebration of her Platinum Jubilee.  Fabuleu de Maucour belonged to the largely ceremonial French Republican Guard and was trained to carry the standard-bearer.

They will also view an elegant Charabanc carriage from the Royal Mews, which was a present to Queen Victoria from King Louis-Philippe of France in 1844.  The Macrons will also privately pay their respects at the late Queen’s tomb in St George’s Chapel by laying flowers in tribute.

Visiting the Colchester Hospital on Wednesday, the Princess of Wales candidly described cancer treatment and recovery as a “rollercoaster”, and spoke of the importance of a holistic “mind, body and spirit” approach.  Chatting to a group of the centre’s users, volunteers and staff, she said: “There is a whole phase when you finish your treatment, everybody expects you to be better – go! But that’s not the case at all.”

She continued: “You’re not necessarily under the clinical team any longer but you’re not able to function normally at home as you perhaps once used to and actually someone to help talk you through that, show you and guide you through that sort of phase that comes after treatment I think is really valuable.”

Kate has been making a gradual return to public duties since it was announced in January she was in remission from cancer.  Last month, the 43-year-old made the last-minute decision to pull out of a scheduled appearance at Royal Ascot.  Racegoers had been hoping to see Kate as William was named as one of the figures awarding race prizes during the second day of the meet.