Predictions for Kate Middleton’s Trooping the Color appearance? All about Who Will – and Won’t – Attend

As the annual event takes place this weekend, it will look slightly different from past years

Royal family at Trooping the Colour 2023. PHOTO: NEIL MOCKFORD/GETTY

The British royal family will be coming together for Trooping the Colour this month, though the celebration will look slightly different from past years.

This year will mark King Charles’ second Trooping the Colour as monarch following the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth in September 2022.

Taking place in June each year as a public celebration of the monarch’s birthday — regardless of when their actual birthday is — the annual event features the ceremonial presentation of the military’s regimental flags, called “colours.”

Over the years, the event has brought out many members of the royal family to join in the procession, either on horseback or riding in a carriage, before gathering on the Buckingham Palace balcony to watch a fly past by the Royal Air Force.

However, various members of the royal family have been dealing with health issues — both Kate Middleton and King Charles have been undergoing treatment for cancer — so it’s unclear just who will stand on the balcony this year.

Ahead, here’s everything to know about this year’s Trooping the Colour and which royals will be in attendance.

When is Trooping the Colour 2024?

King Charles III delivers a speech during a ceremony.BEN STANSALL/POOL/AFP VIA GETTY

This year, Trooping the Colour will take place on June 15. The event will kick off around 5:00 a.m. ET that morning as the royal family travels from Buckingham Palace for the parade before returning to Buckingham Palace for their balcony appearance.

Which royals will attend Trooping the Colour 2024?

King Charles III and Queen Camilla at Trooping the Colour.CHRIS JACKSON/GETTY IMAGES

It has been confirmed that the guest of honor King Charles will be in attendance amid his cancer treatment, alongside Queen Camilla.

Unlike past years, when King Charles rode horseback for the parade, the royal will conduct his review seated in a horse-drawn carriage with his wife by his side.

At the moment, Buckingham Palace hasn’t confirmed which other royals will be in attendance. However, for last year’s event, the first of his reign, King Charles invited his eldest son and heir, Prince William, who was joined by his wife Kate Middleton and their three children.

Other royals on the balcony included Princess Anne, her husband Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, Prince Edward and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh while the Duke of Kent and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester stood off to the side.

Which royals are not attending Trooping the Colour 2024?

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at Trooping the Colour.SAMIR HUSSEIN

Though the final guest list is not available, we already know two royals who will not be in attendance: In early June, PEOPLE confirmed that King Charles’ son Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle were not invited to Trooping the Colour. They were also not invited to the event last year.

The last time the Duke and Duchess of Sussex attended Trooping the Colour was in 2019 just before they officially stepped back as working members of the royal family in 2020. Since then, they have been living in California.

Will Trooping the Colour 2024 be Kate Middleton’s first royal appearance since her cancer diagnosis? 

Kate Middleton at 2023 Trooping the Colour.MARK CUTHBERT/UK PRESS VIA GETTY IMAGES

Amid her cancer treatments, the public has wondered if Trooping the Colour will mark the Princess of Wales’ official return to royal duties. However, the answer still remains unclear.

In March, she revealed that she was undergoing preventative chemotherapy. Regarding her return to public duties, a palace spokesperson said, “The Princess will return to official duties when she is cleared to do so by her medical team. She is in good spirits and is focused on making a full recovery.”

Ahead of the event, the Princess of Wales was notably absent from a major rehearsal for Trooping the Colour.

Shortly after, the Irish Guards shared a letter from the Princess of Wales in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday, June 8, where she wrote of “how proud I am of the entire regiment ahead of the Colonel’s Review and Trooping of the Colour.”

“I appreciate everyone trooping this year has been practicing for months, and dedicating many hours to ensuring their uniforms and drill are immactulate,” Princess Kate added in the letter.

She continued, “Being your colonel remains a great honor 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.”

How to watch Trooping the Colour 2024?

Kate Middleton and Prince William with their kids at Trooping the Colour.SAMIR HUSSEIN/WIREIMAGE

The official channel for all things Trooping the Colour will be BBC. However, if you don’t get the network, the site notes that BBC iPlayer will have “uninterrupted coverage of the live events.”