Kate Middleton cancer battle: Princess of Wales forced to miss Trooping of the Colour rehearsal

The Princess of Wales will not undertake a planned military review ahead of trooping the Colour next month as she continues to recover privately following her cancer diagnosis.

There has been no word yet from Kensington Palace as to whether she will join the Royal Family for the King’s official birthday celebrations on Saturday, June 15, including their traditional Buckingham Palace balcony appearance.

Insiders have long emphasised that every cancer ‘journey’ is individual and believe speculation over whether Kate will attend key events such as trooping create unnecessary pressure at a time when she has asked for space and privacy.

it means the Princess of Wales will miss what would have been her first Colonel’s Review, which had been due to take place at the end of next week.

The event is a dress rehearsal for trooping and would have seen her take the salute as the new Colonel-in-Chief of the Irish Guards, who are presenting their colours to the King this year.

Buckingham Palace did yesterday confirm the Daily Mail’s exclusive story in March that King Charles planned to attend trooping and review the soldiers from a carriage, on doctor’s advice, with Queen Camilla.

He has previously taken part on horseback but it has been deemed prudent, given the length of the ceremony and the unpredictable weather, for him to be seated in an Ascot Landau. his Majesty is still undergoing treatment for his unspecified cancer diagnosis.

He has now been permitted by his doctors to undertake more forward-facing public duties, although officials have stressed they need to carefully review each potential engagement, with adaptations made where necessary to prioritise his recovery.

While palace officials have been forced to cancel several public engagements in light of the General Election, key national and ceremonial events such as trooping are not affected.

There was confusion in early March after the Ministry of Defence jumped the gun and published a statement on its website saying that the princess would be reviewing her troops, without seeking approval from Kensington Palace.

A few weeks after the MoD was forced to back down, the princess put out a moving video message in which she revealed that tests carried out after a successful abdominal operation revealed that cancer had been present.

Details of her cancer have not been disclosed but she has said that she was having ‘preventative chemotherapy’. Kensington Palace said it is confident the princess will make a full recovery.