Kate Middleton withdraws from Trooping the Colour event for King Charles.
0Kate Middleton may have chosen not to make a surprise appearance on the Trooping the Colour balcony in order to avoid drawing attention away from King Charles.
The Princess of Wales confirmed her absence from the monarch's impending birthday procession on June 15 in a sad letter to the Irish Guards regiment.
Former BBC royal journalist Jennie Bond told OK! magazine that Kate did the right thing by declining to make her first appearance at the event after revealing her cancer diagnosis.
"I'm conflicted about this. Catherine's initial appearance would likely be undemanding and distant, which may be beneficial.
"A few moments on the balcony at a highly significant and well publicised event: maximum impact for minimum effort or risk to her health," the royal expert said.
"And a statement that the future of the monarchy is secure, after some difficult months of health scares," she said.
"On the other hand, this is truly the King's Day—his formal birthday celebration—and it celebrates his own progress in his struggle with illness. Is it appropriate for Catherine to take the center stage, as she often does?
"It would be better to wait for an opportunity to star in one of her own events related to the topics she advocates. "We'll have to wait and see," said the expert.