June 8th 2024.
In London, the beloved Princess of Wales, Kate, expressed her sincere apologies for not being able to attend the final rehearsal for the Trooping the Color parade on Saturday. As the honorary colonel of the Irish Guards, she wished the regiment good luck as she continues to recover from cancer.
In a heartfelt letter shared on the social media platform X, Kate wrote, "Being your colonel remains a great honor and I am deeply sorry that I am unable to take the salute at this year's Colonel's Review." She also requested that her apologies be passed on to the entire regiment and expressed her hope of being able to represent them again in the near future.
For those unfamiliar, the Colonel's Review serves as a dress rehearsal for the annual military parade, which is held in June to celebrate the monarch's official birthday. This year, the ceremony will be overseen by King Charles III on June 15.
It is still uncertain if Kate will attend the parade next weekend, as she has been undergoing chemotherapy treatment for an unspecified type of cancer. This was announced in March after rumors about her health began to circulate on social media due to her absence from public appearances. While she has not shared many details about her illness, she did mention that it was discovered after a major abdominal surgery.
Similarly, the king is also undergoing treatment for cancer, but has slowly returned to his royal duties. He recently attended commemorations for the 80th anniversary of D-Day, the historic invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe on June 6, 1944.
The Trooping the Color parade is a longstanding tradition that dates back 260 years, where troops dressed in full uniform march past the king with their ceremonial flag, also known as their "color." This year, it is expected that King Charles will travel to the event in a carriage with Queen Camilla and watch the ceremony from a dais, rather than on horseback as he did last year.
On Saturday, approximately 8,000 spectators gathered to watch the Irish Guards, dressed in their iconic red tunics and bearskin caps, march in formation at Horse Guards Parade in central London. The event was accompanied by a military band playing the national anthem and featured 240 horses, as well as the regiment's beloved mascot, an Irish wolfhound named Seamus, who was draped in a red cape and led across the square by his handler.
The atmosphere was quite different from last year, when the scorching heat caused at least three guardsmen to faint. The Irish Guards expressed their gratitude for the kind letter from Kate on social media, and sent their well wishes for her speedy recovery.
It should also be noted that in 2022, Kate will succeed her husband, Prince William, as colonel of the regiment after he assumes the role of colonel of the Welsh Guards.
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