Trooping the Colour: Princess Kate spotted with Prince William and children for first time since cancer scare

The Princess of Wales has appeared in public for the first time in six months at the Trooping the Colour after revelations she was battling cancer shocked the world.

Britain put on a display of birthday pageantry on Saturday for King Charles II, but most eyes were on Catherine.

The annual event was also a show of stability by the monarchy after months in which both the King and Catherine, wife of heir to the throne Prince William, have been sidelined by cancer treatment.

The Princess announced on Friday that she would attend the King’s Birthday Parade after making progress in her treatment. She disclosed in March that she was undergoing chemotherapy for an unspecified form of cancer.

“I am making good progress, but as anyone going through chemotherapy will know, there are good days and bad days,” Catherine said in Friday’s statement, adding that she faces “a few more months” of treatment.

The 42-year-old travelled in horse-drawn carriage from Buckingham Palace down the grand avenue known as The Mall with her children George, 10, Charlotte, 9, and six-year-old Louis.

Bystanders cheered, waved and even wept as they caught a glimpse of Catherine, dressed in a white dress with navy details and wide-brimmed white hat.

After alighting from the carriage she watched the ceremony from a building overlooking Horse Guards Parade, a ceremonial parade ground in central London.

Prince William rode on horseback for the ceremony in which troops in full dress uniform parade past the King with their regimental flag, or “colour”.

Charles, who also is being treated for an undisclosed form of cancer, travelled in a carriage with Queen Camilla, JUrather than on horseback as he did last year.

Five regiments took turns to parade their colour, and this year it was the turn of the Irish Guards, which has Catherine as its honorary colonel.

The troops in scarlet tunics and bearskin hats were led on to the parade ground by their mascot, an Irish wolfhound named Seamus, and the pipes and drums of their band.

The King, 75, disclosed his cancer in February, and has recently eased back into public duties. He attended commemorations last week for the 80th anniversary of D-Day, the Allied invasion of nazi-occupied Europe on June 6, 1944.

Catherine was expected to join other members of the family on a Buckingham Palace balcony to watch a flypast of military aircraft. She has not made any public appearances since December.

The Princess said in Friday’s statement that she is “not out of the woods yet” and officials stress that Saturday’s engagement does not herald a full return to public life.

In one of the many quirks of British royal convention, Saturday is not the King’s real birthday — that’s in November.

Like his mother, Queen Elizabeth II before him, Charles has an official birthday on the second Saturday in June. The date was chosen because the weather is generally good, though early sunshine on Saturday gave way to a blustery, rainy day in London.

Royal fans in raincoats and umbrellas had already gathered along the route several hours before start time, along with a smattering of anti-monarchists chanting “Not my king”.

But Jane Ing, who travelled from Yorkshire in the north of England with her husband and a friend to witness the royal procession through The Mall ahead of the ceremony, said it was “lovely” Kate was in attendance.

Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams told the Daily Mail: “Kate’s appearance is pivotal as the royal family is much weakened by two senior members fighting cancer. It is especially significant as we have not seen her on an official engagement since December.

“It is clear, both from the moving video message in March and from the statement released yesterday, that she is resilient. There will be considerable speculation as to what events she will be able to attend during the summer. They will have a very special cachet as today’s Birthday Parade will. She is a very special person with a place in all our hearts.”

While Catherine said in Friday’s statement that she was hoping to take part in other events this year, aides cautioned that Saturday did not mark a return to a full schedule of work.

“My treatment is ongoing and will be for a few more months,” she said. “I’m looking forward to attending the King’s Birthday Parade this weekend with my family and hope to join a few public engagements over the summer, but equally knowing I am not out of the woods yet.”

In her message, she said on days when she felt well, it was “a joy to engage with school life, spend personal time on the things that give me energy and positivity”.

As part of that, she was starting to do work from home, and was able to hold some meetings.

“I am learning how to be patient, especially with uncertainty,” she added. “Taking each day as it comes, listening to my body, and allowing myself to take this much needed time to heal.”

Spectators on Saturday were treated to a display of pomp and precision involving more than 1000 soldiers, 250 military musicians and more than 200 horses.

The equine participants included Trojan, Tennyson and Vanquish, three of the five military horses who sparked mayhem in April when they bolted and ran loose through central London.

The horses were performing routine exercises near Buckingham Palace on April 24 when they became spooked and galloped loose through the capital’s streets, crashing into vehicles and causing chaos during the morning rush hour.

The army says the other two horses are recovering well and are expected to return to duty.