Catherine, Princess of Wales has apologised for her absence from the Trooping the Colour rehearsal.
The royal, who bears the honorary rank of Colonel in Chief of the Irish Guards, wrote a letter to the guards as she undergoes preventative cancer treatment.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Prince William speaks of his wife Princess Kate’s recovery.
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“I hope I am able to represent you all very soon,” she stated.
Kate has been completely out of the public eye after announcing she was diagnosed with cancer in March, but has kept a low profile since Christmas Day after initially undergoing abdominal surgery in January before she revealed her cancer.
The letter, written on June 9, read: “I wanted to write and let you know how proud I am of the entire Regiment ahead of the Colonel’s Review and Trooping the Colour.
“I appreciate everyone trooping this year has been practising for months, and dedicating many hours to ensuring their uniforms and drill are immaculate.
“Being your colonel remains a great honour, and I am very sorry that I’m unable (to) take the salute at this year’s Colonel’s Review.
“Please pass my apologies to the whole regiment, however, I do hope that I am able to represent you all once again very soon.
“Please send my very best wishes and good luck to all involved.”
This would have been Kate’s first Colonel’s Review, which is a dress rehearsal for the Trooping the Colour on June 15.
Trooping the Colour is a celebration of the birthday of the British monarch.
Lieutenant General James Bucknall will carry out the role of Inspecting Officer on behalf of the princess as she continues her recovery.
The Irish Guards formally responded to the letter on X, writing: “The Irish Guards were deeply touched to receive a letter from our Colonel, Her Royal Highness, The Princess of Wales this morning.
“We continue to wish Her Royal Highness well in her recovery and send her our very best wishes.”
It has been reported that the Princess of Wales “may never come back in the role that people saw her in before”, according to a source who spoke with Us Weekly.
Kate is reportedly “re-evaluating what she’s going to be able to take on when she comes back”.
Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams added that Kate’s return would be based on “medical advice, and it will be very carefully balanced”.
The princess has not been seen in public since she revealed she had cancer, in a video in March this year.
The video was released after months of fervent speculation about her whereabouts after Kensington Palace said she would be taking a step back from public duties as she recovered from January’s abdominal surgery.
Kate’s children, George, 10, Charlotte, 8, and Louis, 6, have also largely been out of the public eye since her surgery.
King Charles III was himself diagnosed with cancer in February and has been undergoing treatment.
Doctors discovered the disease after he was hospitalised with an enlarged prostate, although the Palace has said he does not have prostate cancer.
It comes after Kate’s husband Prince William shared a brief update on June 5 when asked about his wife’s health.
Speaking with a war veteran at an event honouring the 80th anniversary of D-Day, William was seen in conversation with veterans who recalled the day.
One conversation, filmed by a bystander and posted to X, shows William speaking with World War II veteran Geoffrey Weaving, 100, who asked the prince about his wife’s recovery.
“I was going to ask you if your wife was getting any better?” asked Weaving, who was in a wheelchair.
Bending down to be at his eye level, William remarked: “Yes … she would have loved to have been here today.”