June 19 (UPI) — The Princess of Wales unexpectedly pulled out of attending Royal Ascot at the last minute, with officials saying it was related to her recovery from cancer.
Kate Middleton skipped the Royal Family’s traditional excursion to the event 30 miles southwest of London on Wednesday, which is a key fixture in the country’s horse racing calendar.
The decision came amid efforts to strike a balance as she eases back into her public role as the wife of Prince William, Kensington Palace said.
An official told The New York Times she was “disappointed” not to be able to attend, adding that she needed to find the “right balance” in the level of public engagements she takes on.
The decision was very likely unplanned. Two hours before a royal procession along the Straight Mile that kicks off the event was to take place, she was still listed in the official program as being in the second carriage with husband Prince William, behind the king and queen.
In the end, William arrived from Windsor in his father’s carriage along with Queen Camilla and Prince Saud bin Khalid Al Saud, a member of Saudi Arabia’s Royal Family.
It was the 200th anniversary of the procession, which was begun by King George IV in 1825. On that occasion, the Duke of Wellington rode along in George’s carriage.
Carole Middleton, Kate’s mother, did attend the event.
The princess has been gradually returning to her public duties after announcing she was in remission in January, with her most recent appearance at an Order of the Royal Garter service in Windsor, where she was seen smiling and chatting.
Two days before that, on Saturday, she attended the Trooping of the Color in London, a military parade celebrating the monarch’s official birthday.
It was the second consecutive year the princess had missed Royal Ascot.
She was unable to attend in 2024 as it came three months after she announced she had been diagnosed with cancer in March.
However, The New York Times speculated that her absence on Wednesday may have had nothing to do with her recovery, but was related instead to the event itself or the weather. Wednesday was one of the hottest days of the year with temperatures in the mid-80s F.
King Charles is a fellow cancer survivor, receiving his diagnosis in February 2024, three weeks after he was hospitalized for treatment for an enlarged prostate at the same hospital where his daughter-in-law was recovering from major abdominal surgery that would take months to heal.
The late Queen Elizabeth II, somewhat of a racing fanatic, was closely linked with Royal Ascot. Race horses she owned or bred won more than 20 titles at the world-famous track over the course of her seven decades on the throne.
