The Real Reason Kate Middleton Apologized to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle About Trooping the Colour

The 2024 Trooping the Colour hasn’t happened, and yet Kate Middleton has already issued an apology about it. Why? Because she missed a big part of it leading up to the June 15 celebration. As questions surrounding the Princess of Wales’ attendance at Trooping the Colour continue to swirl, here’s what she’s “very sorry” to have missed.

Kate apologized for missing the Trooping the Color rehearsal
After Kensington Palace announced Kate wouldn’t be at the Colonel’s Review, a Trooping the Colour rehearsal held on June 8, 2024, one week ahead of the actual ceremony, the 42-year-old apologized to the Irish Guards with a written note.

As honorary Colonel of the Irish Guards, Kate would normally be there to inspect the troops at the Horse Guards Parade. However, 2024 has been anything but typical for the royal family.

Kate’s out of the spotlight as she continues preventative chemotherapy after announcing her cancer diagnosis in March 2022. As such, someone else inspected troops at the rehearsal.

“I wanted to write and let you know how proud I am of the entire regiment ahead of the Colonel’s Review and Trooping of the Colour,” she wrote in a letter shared by the regiment (via X).

“I appreciate everyone trooping this year has been practicing for months and dedicating many hours to ensuring their uniforms and drill are immaculate,” she went on. “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,” Kate added. “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.”

Will she or won’t she? That’s the question when it comes to Kate and Trooping the Colour. At the time of writing, there’s no confirmation on what the mother of three will be doing come the big celebration.

Kensington Palace, Kate and Prince William’s office within the royal family, and Buckingham Palace, King Charles III’s office, have not said whether she’ll be there to participate in the annual celebration.

In years past, Kate has taken carriage rides and watched military flyovers from the Buckingham Palace balcony alongside the Prince of Wales and their three children.

However, since the princess is on a break from duties as she continues cancer treatment, it’s unclear whether she’ll be there. (Kate last made an in-person public appearance on Christmas Day.)

As for William and Kate’s kids—Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6—they typically show up for Trooping the Colour. Like their mother, however, the palace hasn’t said whether the Wales kids will attend.

Kate previously apologized about an edited family photo
Kate’s Trooping the Colour apology is her second of the year. After marking Mother’s Day in the U.K. with a photo of her, George, Charlotte, and Louis, that was soon revealed to be edited—to the point where photo agencies pulled it—Kate confirmed she’d indeed manipulated the photo and apologized publicly.

But not before much outcry on social media where PhotoShop errors were analyzed, and conspiracy theories about Kate’s health continued. (She didn’t announce her cancer diagnosis until March 22, 2024.)

On March 11, 2024, Kensington Palace issued an apology from Kate. “Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing,” she said. “I wanted to express my apologies for any confusion the family photograph we shared yesterday caused.”

Trooping the Colour begins around 5 a.m. ET on June 15, 2024, in London.