The Princess of Wales will not attend the Colonel’s Review, the traditional rehearsal of Trooping the Colour, on June 8, royal officials confirmed today in a rare update as she continues her chemotherapy treatment.
Buckingham Palace also said that King Charles III will travel in a carriage with Queen Camilla for the Trooping the Color parade on June 15 and will not travel on horseback.
Charles, 75, will perform the soldiers’ review at his official birthday parade from an Ascot Landau carriage with Camilla, which is understood to be an adaptation based on doctors’ advice as the monarch continues to receive cancer treatment.
For the Colonel’s Review, Lieutenant General James Bucknall, former commander of the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps, will be the inspecting officer on Kate’s behalf.
The princess, 42, who is also undergoing cancer treatment, would have received the salute under normal circumstances in her role as a colonel in the Irish Guards.
But Kate continues to stay away from royal public duties during her chemotherapy as she rests at home, and will only return when doctors give her the all-clear.
It comes after the Army removed a claim made in March on its website that Kate would appear in Trooping the Color and had started selling tickets, causing confusion after Kensington Palace said it had not confirmed her attendance. .
2023 — (From left) Prince George, Kate, Prince Louis, Prince William, Princess Charlotte, King Charles and Queen Camilla at Buckingham Palace for Trooping the Color on June 17, 2023
The confirmation comes after the Army removed a claim made in March on its website that Kate would appear in Trooping the Color (pictured) and had started selling tickets.
Tickets went on sale through the Army website in March announcing that Kate reviewed a “practice” parade for the first time on June 8 in her role as honorary colonel of the Irish Guards.
MailOnline understands that the attendance of other members of the Royal Family will be confirmed closer to the time of each event.
During Trooping the Colour, which takes place at Horse Guards Parade in Whitehall, the King will conduct the review of guards and officers from the carriage.
The change from last year’s ceremony, in which Charles inspected troops on horseback, reflects previous briefings at Buckingham Palace in which it was highlighted that each of the King’s engagements would be reviewed and adaptations made where advised by officials. doctors.
Earlier this year, on March 5, the Ministry of Defense removed a claim made on its website that Kate would attend events to mark Trooping the Colour.
Tickets had gone on sale through the army website which announced that Kate was reviewing a “practice” parade for the first time on June 8 in her role as honorary colonel of the Irish Guards.
He also announced that Charles, 75, would review his own official birthday parade on June 15 at Horse Guards. But within minutes of tickets going on sale, there were warnings that the MoD may have been “rushed”.
Kensington Palace sources made it clear they were “not consulted” about the MoD’s announcement and said any confirmed attendance by the princess would be made “solely” by themselves.
Buckingham Palace confirmed at the time that planning for future engagements was continuing despite the King’s cancer treatment, but stressed that changes could be made closer to the time depending on his health.
The confusion has added to the sense of unease around the Royal Family, with two of its most senior members out of action for substantial periods.
This also came before Kate revealed in an emotional video on March 23 that she was receiving cancer treatment.
At the time, Kate was recovering from what was described as “planned abdominal surgery” and was considered unlikely to return to duty until after Easter.
Rohitha Bogollagama, High Commissioner to the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, presents his credentials to King Charles today, accompanied by his wife Deepthi Bogollagama, during a private audience at Buckingham Palace in London.
Until her cancer announcement, her absence from public events and the scant details given about her condition and recovery had led to wild conspiracy theories on social media about what could be wrong with her.
On Tuesday, the Army confirmed that Trooping the Color will go ahead despite the upcoming general election.
The celebration traditionally involves the royal family gathering on the balcony of Buckingham Palace after a display of military pomp and pageantry.
The Royal Family has postponed engagements “which may appear to divert attention or distract from the election campaign” after Rishi Sunak last week called a surprise summer general election for July 4.
But they have continued with garden parties at Buckingham Palace and the King and Queen’s 80th anniversary D-Day appearances in Portsmouth and Normandy in June are expected to go ahead as planned.
Today, Charles met Rohitha Bogollagama, High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, as he presented his credentials at Buckingham Palace in a private audience along with his wife Deepthi Bogollagama.
2023 — Glorious scenes at the shopping center during Trooping the Color in London on June 17, 2023
2022: William, Kate and their children attend Trooping the Color in London on June 2, 2022.
2021: Trooping the Color took place at Windsor Castle in front of the Queen on 12 June 2021.
Yesterday, Charles and Camilla toured the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts (Rada) in London, where they met former students including David Harewood, Cynthia Erivo and Daniel Mays.
On Tuesday, the British Army announced that almost 1,000 soldiers and around 240 horses from the Household Division will hold a “khaki rehearsal” of the parade in London today.
The rehearsal will take place at the Horse Guards Parade in front of an audience of more than 1,000 people as a test for soldiers and horses who have not yet rehearsed publicly.
Lieutenant Colonel James Shaw, Brigadier Major of the Household Division, will confirm that troops are at the required level before performing in The Major General’s Review on Saturday, The Colonel’s Review on June 8 and Trooping the Color on June 15.
The Army said Number 9 Company, Irish Guards, has been chosen to form troops of its colour, meaning the regiment will parade its ceremonial flag through the ranks at the King’s official birthday event.
The Irish Guards Band with pipes and drums will march the troops onto the parade ground, led by the regiment’s mascot Turlough Mor, an Irish wolfhound also known as Seamus.
2019 — William and Kate at Trooping the Color with their children in London on June 8, 2019
2017 — Philip speaks to William and Kate at Trooping The Color in London on June 17, 2017.
The music will have a “distinctly Irish theme”, including Celtic folk tunes and new music composed for the parade.
The annual Trooping the Color has marked the official birthday of the British sovereign for more than 260 years.
Charles celebrated his first Trooping as King last year, riding the Horse Guards into Whitehall as the nation’s head of state six weeks after his coronation.
During the celebrations, Charles and Camilla waved from the balcony of Buckingham Palace as thousands of supporters on The Mall sang the National Anthem and gave three cheers.
The King and Queen were surrounded in 2023 by the family’s core group of working royals, including the Prince and Princess of Wales and their children.
Also on the balcony were the Princess Royal and her husband, Vice-Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and the Duke of Kent.