It wasn’t a surprise to see the Princess of Wales out and about for Trooping the Colour on Saturday. Then Kate turned up at the Order of the Garter service in Windsor on Monday, which was sort of a surprise since there had been no advance confirmation of her appearance. Well, once again this week, there wasn’t much advance notice for which royals would attend which days of Royal Ascot. King Charles has been trying to make it to Ascot as many days as he can, and he was there for the opening races on Tuesday. There was a confirmation, via Buckingham Palace, earlier this morning that the Prince and Princess of Wales were due at Royal Ascot today, Day 2 of the races. That confirmation came via the “seating chart” of the royal carriages – Kate and William were supposed to ride in the second carriage along with golfer Justin Rose and his wife. But now Princess Kate has canceled at the last minute.
The Princess of Wales has pulled out of attending Royal Ascot as she continues to seek the right balance following her battle with cancer.
Kensington Palace declined to comment on the decision, which was taken at the last minute after the princess’s appearance had already been listed in the official carriage list.
Kate is understood to be “disappointed” at not attending the meet in Berkshire with her husband and the King and Queen.
Racegoers had been hoping to see Kate after William was named as one of the figures awarding race prizes on Wednesday.
The princess, 43, was absent last year as she underwent chemotherapy but she has joined many more royal engagements since announcing in January that she was in remission from cancer.
My first thought wasn’t towards Kate’s health, but her fashion. Was she planning on wearing that same Self Portrait dress to Ascot or something? Did she not have time to pull something old out of her archives? Just kidding, her sudden withdrawal probably isn’t fashion-related. She and William just do this every so often, they’ll just pull out of appearances, mostly because they’re flaky. That’s one of the reasons why so many of their events are “surprises” or “unannounced.” They don’t want to announce anything because they might not feel like it on the day. Of course, it’s more than possible it is a health issue, but something more mundane like a seasonal cold, or maybe one of the kids has a stomach bug or something. If that’s the case, then I hope everyone feels better soon.
Update: I appreciate the way the NY Times reported the story:
The princess is “disappointed” not to be present, said a palace official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, citing palace protocol. He added that she needs to find the “right balance” when returning to public engagements. On Saturday, Catherine took part in Trooping the Color, a ceremony that marks the birthday of the monarch, King Charles III. Her public appearances had become routine, though her schedule is not as busy as it was before her illness.
The Kensington Palace comms office has to speak anonymously about Kate’s “disappointment” and her need to find the “right balance,” huh?
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.
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- London, UK, 14 June 2025. Princess Catherine, Princess Charlotte, Prince George and Prince Louis leave Buckingham Palace for the King’s Birthday Parade, Trooping The Colour Buckingham Palace, London, UK.,Image: 1010934046, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Lee Floyd/Avalon
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- (L-R) – Prince Louis, Prince William – The Prince of Wales, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Princess Catherine – The Princess of Wales watch the flypast on the balcony as part of The King’s Birthday Parade Celebration also known as ‘Trooping The Colour’ at Buckingham Palace, London, England, UK on Saturday 14 June, 2025.,Image: 1010940247, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Please credit photographer and agency when publishing as Justin Ng/UPPA/Avalon., Model Release: no, Credit line: Justin Ng/Avalon
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- Horse Guards Parade, London, UK. 14th June, 2025. Trooping the Colour, King Charles III’s official Birthday Parade, takes place on Horse Guards Parade with Britain’s oldest Army Regiment, the Coldstream Guards, Trooping the Color (flag) of 2nd Battalion Coldstream Guards this year. Over 1000 officers and men are on parade together with 200 horses and more than 200 military musicians. Image: King Charles III, Queen Camilla and Catherine, Princess of Wales, on the Royal Dais,Image: 1010944551, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: MALCOLM PARK/Avalon
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- Members of the Royal Family during Trooping The Colour 2025 Featuring: Catherine, Princess of Wales Where: London, United Kingdom When: 14 Jun 2025 Credit: Cover Images
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- Members of the British Royal Family at the annual Order of the Garter Service at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle Featuring: Catherine Princess of Wales Where: Windsor, United Kingdom When: 16 Jun 2025 Credit: Cover Images
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- Members of the British Royal Family at the annual Order of the Garter Service at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle Featuring: Catherine Princess of Wales Where: Windsor, United Kingdom When: 16 Jun 2025 Credit: Cover Images
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- Members of the British Royal Family at the annual Order of the Garter Service at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle Featuring: Catherine, Princess of Wales Where: Windsor, United Kingdom When: 16 Jun 2025 Credit: Cover Images
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- Members of the British Royal Family at the annual Order of the Garter Service at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle Featuring: William, Prince of Wales, Catherine, Princess of Wales Where: Windsor, United Kingdom When: 16 Jun 2025 Credit: Cover Images
Wasn’t her original hospitalization supposed to have been for abdominal surgery? She has looked shockingly gaunt in her most recent appearances. I wonder if she is having a recurrence of whatever caused her to need that surgery.
Yes, she looked very frail yesterday.
It’s actually a bit shocking how gaunt she looks, especially in the face. A lot of the things she’s worn lately are structured to hide exactly how thin her frame is, but it’s starting to show on her face now (and also her neck).
She got the life she wanted. I have no empathy or sympathy. She’s hateful.
She lied about Meghan and made her life miserable. She even took a threatening step towards her. No sympathy
“It’s actually a bit shocking how gaunt she looks, especially in the face.”
This cat and mouse game of changing her facial/physical appearance with photoshop, body doubles and deceptive make up is starting to become a problem. Chasing the ‘heart shaped face’ at Wimbledon to ‘match’ the earlier farm shop images doesn’t hold up to her reality and each time she reappears the difference in photos between how she looked, even compared to recent appearances is too stark.
I see no shocking change in her appearance. The paps aren’t photoshopping her nearly as much. You’re seeing more of the real Kate for the first time in years. That’s what they do in revenge when she and mummy aren’t feeding them enough.
Kate has been very thin for years, even more after Louis was born.
But even if it is a health issue, the notice from Ascot is released at 12 pm UK time. You mean there was no way to let them know that morning to avoid this?
If she woke up feeling ill this morning they wouldn’t have sat on this for several hours. Something happened last minute.
I think you could be right about something happening last minute. It would also explain the asinine and lame reason given for her non-attendance.
@nic919 fight with Willy I bet.
Willy: We’ll be late!
Lazy: Well make them wait!
Willy: Papa said no.
Lazy: Fine, I won’t go.
Willy: Suit yourself.
Okay, I am laughing at that scenario. The idea that she was just running late and thus had to bail. She wasn’t able to catch the helicopter in time. Especially if she possibly first had to be driven to the helicopter.
The carriages leave from Windsor so no helicopter needed. Maybe her hairdresser canceled at the last minute.
Okay, so it wasn’t the helicopter then. Another suspected reason crossed off. Now it’s possibly the hairdresser stuck on the train with the missing hair. Or the underpaid KP assistant stuck in traffic with the missing dress coming from wherever it’s stored.
“Battle with cancer” is going to be a reoccurring excuse. It’s absolutely a lie and insult to those who have really battled with the disease! I did not battle I was lucky but there are many who have and still are battling!
How can she be battling with cancer, she had the all clear last year. Unless of course it has returned.
She seems to recover quite quickly once she hears the word “vacation”.
No one said it was due to the cancer, so how could that be an excuse or a lie? We don’t know at all what happened or is happening.
I wonder if this is to add credence to the ‘she’s still recovering’ storyline. Look, she REALLY wanted to be there but just can’t do it. Poor sausage.
@FYI the article claims she is trying to find balance after “fighting a cancer battle. That was the excuse. The lie is she had cancer and many people who have had cancer and still have cancer don’t believe what she is selling on that front.
She said she was cancer-free in the fall. Since then, she has been on two ski trips, a trip to Mustique and who knows what else. She has filmed herself frolicking somewhat energetically through the woods for her seasonal videos. She was being asked to ride in a carriage today. I have no idea why she didn’t show up. But Kp’s reason that she is trying to find the right balance of returning to work after having had cancer when she has done all of the above does not work. It looks bad if they say she is too tired to attend but we know full well that she can ski down a hill. There may be a real and serious reason for why she didn’t attend but it is not the last minute reason that KP gave the rota though their WhatsApp chats.
Susan collins, agree with you 💯! I lost my father, two young female cousins to cancer. To have this creature exploit a diagnosis of cancer(pre cancer cells) is absolutely shameful.
She pulled out the last minute makes me wonder if all that incandescent rage left a mark…
To be honest she’s been looking really frail and older. She’s definitely been quite ill. I sincerely wish her complete healing. She’s a mum of 3 still has a lot do for them.
Kate just never came back from her experience with meghan. The last walkabout with her was the hardest thing she’s ever done.
The challenge today with possibly another ak47 gatekeeping the money and/or the closet.
No ill wishes for her, hope she feels better if it’s really about her health but she looked perfectly fine on all her vacation pics.
Agree. As a mum of three, she’s been skiing with her kids twice this year. I wish her complete healing as well. And she seemed to be at least physically healed when she was photographed skiing.
The Lazy one is absolutely exhausted! Mustn’t raise expectations! She appeared more than once this week! It’s all too much for her!!!
Seriously? Wtf.
Why on earth is the NYT even covering this as if it’s newsworthy??
Yeah, this would have been three events in four days. Oh, the agony! And none of them her usual 30 minutes in & out.
An alternate theory of mine: share a carriage with a golfer & his wife? PEASANTS? When has she ever done that at Ascot?
Maybe someone didn’t like this article about her preparing to be queen soon, and decided to blacklist her.
Wonder if the Middleton clan got blacklisted from the Royal enclosure by Chuck hence she didn’t appear?
There’s no love lost between Chuck and Carole.
Maybe, usually they are more visible especially in this type of royal event but they were invited by the queen since Charles took control they do not participate much in these events anymore
Plausible and the kind of stunt she pulls. Like when she pulled out of the winter charity ball at kp last minute – claiming sick child and no babysitter. They had three nannies at that time, but no babysitter? Sure keen.
She could agree to show up, get put on the carriage chart, pretend to play happy families with Charlie for once. Pull out last minute to ’cause a stir’ because she, mummy, and pip are mad.
Pip’s latest grifter scheme with not so wealthy husband has failed. They may have wanted to prance around royal ascot, pretending to be royal, and looking for their next marks. As I expect Bea, edo, Zara, Mike, and Peter to be doing.
Ma Middleton and James’s wife, Alizee, are at Royal Ascot today flaunting themselves before the cameras. Odd that her daughter should pull out at the last minute.
@Deborah1 👀
Ok, fight with Willy then.
That is very interesting. If the Middletons are already at Ascot, this is even more of a last minute thing than expected.
@Nic919 – I’ve only seen photos of Carole and Alizee. Pa Middleton doesn’t appear to be there, unlike last year.
Kate and Carole are really clueless if they thought they’d get away with the preparing to be Queen– People Story with Keen on cover
I thought I read somewhere that the tabloids all covered Kate on front pages for Balcony Day, with king’s image nowhere to be found. Maybe it was that she was stopped from coming?
Was she stopped from coming? Was she not allowed? Or did she just not want to go for any host of reasons? All we can do is guess, really. My issue is more with the reason given by KP about finding the right balance. It’s eye-roll inducing.
Now that there are pictures of Carole and Alizee at ascot today, it’s unlikely Kate was told she couldn’t attend.
Yeah, I think we can cross out the theory that Charles told her she couldn’t attend for whatever reason. Or that it had anything to do with work balance.
Maybe but that People story didn’t even feel new. The Wales have been saying a variation of that same stuff for a while now. Like I swear People has already run that story but with a different over.
I’m curious why does People think Kate stories relevant enough to keep putting her on the cover. Lots of unsold issues.
@Tessa: they made bank with Diana on the cover all the time, I guess they think they’ll get the same results with Kate?
Them saying that she’s “disappointed” is telling—she was probably uninvited and told to stay home.
I don’t think this is health related at all. I think this is bc she has already worked “a lot” this week and she has decided she’s taking a break (a lot for her lol).
Kate will NEVER pass up the opportunity to dress up in jewels and hats and stick her tonsils out for the cameras. 🙂
LOL
If it is a health issue, they would have been told before the ascot notice is sent at 12 pm. I don’t even think it is a too much work issue because she would have said something before today.
I suspect it’s more related to the Middletons not being able to attend this year and that wasn’t relayed to her until the last minute. And after Ascot sent out its notice for the day.
Ok if Carole is there as well as James and Alizee, then something else went down.
And don’t forget, they did tell us that it depends on how she feels when she gets up in the morning. And this morning she thought nope, not doing it today. My face is tired.
That’s my thought exactly. She almost showed up for 3 events in a row that are “see and be seen” type events – what if people expected more from her after that? On top of it, it’s been reported she doesn’t “prefer” Ascot.
Perhaps but she does love to ride around in the carriages, I suspect she’s either been benched (for the vacationing in prep to be Queen – that story would have really bothered Cams) or she couldn’t be bothered. Or something else – Peggy could have benched her. I like the idea that she was running late and Chuck was ‘well eff u then’, given that she has previous form for holding him up (his coronation – they were late to the cathedral and he had to wait outside for them to arrive).
I’m not convinced it isn’t wardrobe related. I saw an article that had side by side pics full pics of Kate at trooping and the garter ceremony. The headline was something like two glamorous looks. I’m pretty sure Kate had on the same ugly beige shoes in both pictures which makes me think she doesn’t have access to her clothes for some reason.
I hope she’s well. It’s hard bc the royal reporters write that “it’s understood” she continues to seek the right balance following her battle with cancer. Well, a lot of people have had cancer and still show up for work and other engagements. So when that is the reason given it does Kate no favors. Especially as she’s been cancer-free since the fall while the king is currently being treated for cancer and still attended events 3 days in a row. It could be a case of MH issues or other health-related issues or a lack of clothes or just she’s feeling over-worked idk, but there’s no way of knowing because the RF and the press that covers for them are liars. But saying she’s missing it bc she’s trying to strike the right balance after cancer when she’s been seen skiing twice this year does not strike the right tone. It’s actually pretty insulting.
I’m surprised BP hasn’t pushed back on Kate needing balance after announcing that she’s in remission, while Charles is going to die with cancer. Shouldn’t he be the one that needs to find balance seeing as he still actively has cancer? I would expect more shade from sources close to Charles and some of the BM. Where’s Camila at? lol. The Kate situation is ridiculous.
Since this just happened, the shade may be coming down the pipe, idk, we’ll see. But I can only imagine this is the reason KP gave in their WhatsApp group chat to explain her absence. And it’s not a good one when it’s known she’s gone skiing twice this year. And she just got back from vacation a week ago. So is 3 days of work past her contract? I honestly wonder if the balance is 2 days and no more and it’s a hard line and somehow that’s what was negotiated so she’s noping out of day 3.
The balance excuse becomes harder to believe when we see Carole already there today. And yes Carole was there last year when Kate was incognito, but that was known well in advance.
Kate would have told her mother she wasn’t going this morning and the news would have been out much sooner. Doing this after the noon notice from Ascot highly suggests a very last minute issue.
And the thing is, Charles has found the right balance. But he began from a place of ‘duty’ and ‘work’ (such as these people actually do), Kate has never.
The timing of this making it obvious she pulled out last minute suggests something happened this morning unexpectedly and a staffer sent out something to the group chat for the rota but couldn’t actually say it was feeling unwell since it’s clearly not that.
It’s possible that the KP staffer tasked with cancelling at late-notice doesn’t know the real reason either. Some of them seem kept in the dark from even their own principals. Either way, they need to brainstorm some better reasons for her not attending bc trying to achieve work balance after coming back from vacation a little over a week ago is not it.
It definitely sounds like a staffer was told to just “say something”. And if her parents and James and his wife are already at Ascot, yeah this was super last minute.
And you’re right @nic919 as you said below that this isn’t a quota issue either. It wasn’t oh I don’t want to do more than 2 days work bc as we can now see her family had planned to attend with her as well. So she wasn’t told no by Charles, she did plan to attend, and the work balance reason doesn’t work either. So, it’s a mystery.
She also didn’t attend the lunch in Windsor Castle after the Garter Ceremony.
Not sure if it’s because they’re limiting what she’s allowed to attend – because they’re unofficially separated? – or there’s an underlying and ongoing health issue that reached crisis point back in late December 2023; possibly both 🤷♀️.
My hunch is that whatever lawyer she got to negotiate her events wasn’t very good or informed about the royal schedule. So, while Kate is “allowed to attend” the Garter Ceremony, she forgot to include the lunches and stuff that go with these events. I’m a divorce attorney so I see things through that lens, but I do believe that’s what happened here. It makes sense. This is such a mess.
Right balance? Must mean another vacation
She looked far from “weak” when she was photographed skiing which uses up a lot of energy.
Someone should post a picture of Kate skiing with the question of is this the right balance? It’s insulting to use this “finding the right balance after having had cancer a year ago” as the reason for not attending.
This should honestly be what everyone posts on social media. Kate skiing and going on 3 vacations this year with minimal work.
Funny how the rats couldn’t push back against the skiing photos 😂😂😂
She went to Garter Day. That’s her quota for the week. I think it was always either Ascot or Garter but never the two. I know if Meghan was still around she not going to given grace for pulling out of an engagement.
If there was a quota her name would not have been included in the list of people in carriages.
Someone expected her to attend today, likely BP.
That said there were several hours this morning where someone could have sorted this out prior to the ascot list being issued.
probably off in the woods somewhere sniffing moss
Isn’t her latest hobby picking wild mushrooms?
Will don’t eat the beef wellington with the “special” mushrooms!!
“The Kensington Palace comms office has to speak anonymously about Kate’s “disappointment” and her need to find the “right balance,” huh?”
Yes, always anonymous sources. Lies and obfuscation. That’s what they’re known for. That’s what they’re good at. 🤷🏽♀️
I don’t get why Kate’s communication secretary has to hides behind royal protocol and anonymity. The Palace needs to become more professional.
Maybe it’s so they can walk it back later if need be. Since it was never officially confirmed as the reason. And yes, it lacks any sort of professionalism but shadiness is how they operate. Amateur hour and lies.
@jais, yeah that is my understanding too. They can lie all day under unnamed sources. If there was a name attached to the statement, it would be seen as credible and if the statement was proven wrong in the future, they couldn’t hide behind the anonymity.
@MSJ
“The Kensington Palace comms office has to speak anonymously”, because the anonymous person has to be Middleton and not KP. I’ve noticed this a few times, that in this way Carole is trying to force RF to do something that they don’t want to give her/Kate. CM assumes that if she presents RF with a fait accompli and informs the media, RF or William will change their minds so that there is no public scuffle. Maybe it worked once or twice, e.g. allowing Carole to Ascot after Kate’s disappearance (she apparently took out the receipts), but it doesn’t work anymore. Maybe Kate was given a bone and had a choice, Ascot or Trooping and she chose, Carole doesn’t want it to be visible that they are again standing at the door waiting for a finger to be lifted, so she continues to manipulate.
It would seem the royal rota whatsapp group got the same message about her trying to find the right balance because all of them are repeating the same line. As I suspected Kate thinks she’s done enough for the week. For all this talk about relatability, Kate is the person inauthentic and unrelatable. Most cancer patients/survivors can’t relate to her as one of them.
A small part of me wonders if she has been so frail for so long she really is fatigued and the cancer provided the necessary excuse to start skipping events entirely.
The vagueness about her health only fuels more speculation. Same goes for Charles.
I don’t wish her ill health. But she wasn’t too frail to go skiing. Which is a lot of bloody work. So it’s hard to buy into physical weakness being the reason. Sitting in a carriage with a little bit of walking is not more physically daunting than skiing. Getting camera-ready if you’re not in the mood to be publicly on could be daunting for her idk.
I wonder if it is more of a mental health thing with Kate and not so much the cancer.
Or maybe a fight with Bulliam
This has me going back to the “did she even have cancer?” question. The way it was revealed, it was almost like a trial type thing. “Will this play out?” Then maybe they had to lean into it because she said what she said in the garden bench video. She may have some other illness that she wants to keep private but cancer sounds more relatable or she thought that would make people back off. Anyway, the “cancer” is now the get out of jail free card she’s been looking for.
I am thinking getting paid for each appareance that is the way Kate is dealing with Bully Boy. No money in my account by 8 am no show! I would with these stingy and very rich and soulless royals if I could not figure a way out, especially when my only goal was to marry royalties without any working skills. I bet they treat her badly because she has ne blue blood by these people. Kate is lucky Meghan came a long. She saved her because all the hatred goes toward her. I think Billy boy was laying the ground to go to bushy Rose or husband or both permanently 🤫in my mind or if I was writing a book inspired by this alledge story.
😉
So I kinda have a different perspective on this. I think this is Kate fighting because she didn’t get a Mother’s Day post and she hasn’t got any projects going on like Meghan!!
Notice this year all Willam has been the main focus. They are pouring money into all his projects. Kate has got nothing.
I think this might be her way of fighting back..or Atleast trying to.
Between I don’t want to be a clothes horse stories in the beginning of the year to this..she mad mad
K’s turning into quite the drama queen (in waiting).
It’s so pathetic that this is breaking news here in the UK (at least briefly on my apple news notice).
@kel I think it’s William.
Okay so Charles did get headlines for trooping and then I saw the kids got the other headlines and also Kate. I assume William got nothing.
Then we had garter day and Kate got the most traction. I honestly think William and his staff are blocking Kate from showing up. William must have all the attention…he’s the future king guys.
I guarantee that Kate will be seen minimally during the state visit. She either won’t show up for the dinner or be sitting behind a candle where pictures are blocked.
This is technically supposed to be Williams big week. Father’s Day (oh where was Kate’s Mother’s Day post) then ascot, his bbc video project and then his birthday.
There’s trouble in wales camp.
I really doubt Kate would pull out last minute on a day her mother would be present at Ascot. I don’t think it’s Charles because he wouldn’t want the last minute post notice cancellation to overshadow his attendance. I do think it involves William. I think he told the staffer to send out that message.
That’s a fair guess. Something happened with Kate or William or William and Kate.
What if Rose was at Royal Ascot with her sweet husband? If Rose is there, Kate stays home. Don’t you find it strange that Rose, a prominent figure of the aristocracy (and of social life one should assume), never appears.
Any ideas or information?
It’s not even like attending Ascot is “work”, is it? They just turn up in fancy clothes and watch the races while quaffing champagne in the VIP box. It’s not like they’re required to mingle with the peasants.
I bet that they count this as “work” though! Especially since there are tons of pictures of the big hat brigade and even Peter Phillips’ girlfriend’s presence is being mentioned.
Agreed, it seems to be attending a garden party with horse racing. She’s not there negotiating contracts or doing data entry.
I wonder if people attending the Kentucky Derby also feel like it is work?
I have never understood getting all dressed up to go to a horse race. It seems like something from another time.
I’m leaning towards KP/Will deciding Kate wasn’t going to Ascot with William a while ago and just not notifying BP. Maybe Kate was never even supposed to attend with Will and BP just assumed.
I have the same feeling. I don’t think Kate was ever going but after someone put her on the carriage seating chart it needed to be corrected.
If you ask me going to the parade and then the garter service was too much work for these two lazy ass flower petals so not it’s sit at their separate homes who nothings till next week . They kids finish school next week so I say one more popping up for them before it’s bye bye till October if you lucky and no . Watching tennis doesn’t count
I don’t think this was Kate’s decision. Her family is there.
She’s been benched by someone.
Exactly.
And William could have put Carole in Kate’s spot in the carriage but ha you know that was never going to happen, this ain’t 2011.
Why do I think she pitched up at the car in emerald green, someone blabbed to Camilla who said “No Damn Way”?
I’m thinking Kate couldn’t muster the energy to get ready this morning, or she and William had a fight. Or Kate had a tantrum about not having anything that fits except for that self portrait dress.
I “think” Kate has only attended Royal Ascot four times as a working royal – 2016, 2017, 2019 and 2022. I’m not saying that the woman isn’t poorly but, I’m more inclined to believe that she just doesn’t like the occasion. If she pulls out of attending the men’s final at Wimbledon then I would believe there was something seriously wrong with her. Since becoming a “working royal” Kate has only missed one final and that was because she was heavily pregnant with George! Even during her remission year (or whatever it was supposed to have been) she made sure she was at Wimbledon for the men’s final.
Plus 2023 (I just googled). She doesn’t care for it, it follows too closely after Trooping (i.e., too much work!), take your pick.
The “right balance” suggests she needs to pace herself carefully even though she is still on a long phased return. In the real world I know of an office worker who returned after 6 months leave following a major operation (not for cancer)and after a 4 week phased return was then placed in capability programme. She has a weekly Monday meeting to officially review the previous week and has strict targets to meet. Their view is that they are a business and as her condition doesn’t fall under Disability Act, she is obliged to prove that she can still perform her role to the maximum.Sick leave must not exceed more than 2 day or else she can be fired. Just pointing out how much privilege Kate has whereas it is very tough for other people subject to strict procedures designed to dismiss as painlessly as possible for the organisation!
Wow! What a hideous place to work!
Well, actually, seeing how frail she looked yesterday and the difficulties she has functioning in general in public and probably needing some sort of medication to cope, I can understand why she pulled out today…
It may be the weather. It’s quite warm and humid there today so if Kate was feeling fatigued already then the heat wouldn’t help.
And she can’t show her arms. God forbid she shows her emaciated arms. So she’d have to wear long sleeves again.
Nope to both. She managed to sit in the sun for hours at last year’s Wimbledon, showing her bare arms.
Remember that bright green dress? And that was her glorious return to work after declaring herself cancer free.
Technically she has said that being in the sun feels healing for her. Plus, Charles is still currently getting treatment and he’s riding in a carriage. She’s been skiing twice so she is capable of not being physically fatigued. I’m also pretty sure that there are areas of shade for the royals.
In my opinion Kate is battling ongoing mental problems, not physical problems. The preventative cancer treatment is a convenient smokescreen.
I’ve been thinking the same for quite a while. Perhaps Kate is in a very fragile mental state.
I agree, Mia. And I think this applies to Will and Kate.
At the end of the day, we don’t know. But this institution seems pretty vile so it’s hard to imagine it not affecting one’s mental health in some way.
Right? Say what you will about Kate, but being Princess of Wales can’t be easy.
I think the use of the word “balance” is interesting as “unbalanced” can be used to allude to mental health issues. Also last minute cancellation might happen if it is not under control. As to why the NYT and other news outlets cover it, they know that there is something going on, the nature videos, weird statements about clothes, the awkward Scottish holiday snaps. We just don’t know what it is yet.
Well she pissed someone off and got booted right out of the carriage! But who did she piss off this time, her husband, her FIL or her SMIL? So many to choose from. Wouldn’t want to be her.
I understand will went solo.
According to People ‘Prince Saud bin Khalid Abdullah, Prince William, Queen Camilla and King Charles arriving by carriage on day two of Royal Ascot’
Kate’s telling the establishment, I’m way too important to ever make you control me. After all she is the most popular royal; right? The people love her; right? Isn’t that what the emotional support polls revealed? She’s the most popular Royal whether or not they she makes public appearances; right? 🤷🏽♀️
I mean, so was Diana. That didn’t do sh*t for her. The public’s love means a little when you have the power of the media unfortunately.
Well it seems she somehow thinks that she is on firmer ground. Not sure why but that’s what her actions are indicating. She seems to be dictating the terms of her work arrangements. 🤷🏽♀️
I think she has more power than Diana, because there is no mistress running to the media to undermine her. Diana was getting attacked in the press by both Charles’s office and Camilla’s friends. At least, Will is more careful about destroying the mother of his children. I don’t like the man, but he is a better father than Charles. Also, her disappearance gave her a lot of power and the firm understood that their PR won’t work this time. They already spent all their power on H&M. If there were no H&M and their interviews about the palace machine, nobody would believe Kate’s potential story of mistreatment by the palace. That is why when they tried to throw Kate under the bus for photoshop fail, nobody believed it and they used H&M’s interviews as a proof.
She’s got them in a chokehold and they deserve that. With or without her they look pale and stale at public events but according to their emotional support polls she is the most popular one for their audience so they look forward to her appearances to make the whole lot relevant to cover. 🤷🏽♀️
I’m glad the Sussexes are no longer there.
No matter how Kate’s PR tries, she is no Diana.
Not sure why she seems to think she has the power but by all indications she seems to be dictating the terms of her work arrangements.
This chick wouldn’t last a week in the real world.
I don’t think she is planning to ever venture outside of the Royal fold. 🤷🏽♀️
Once in a while I listen to Newsweek’s Royal Report podcast, as a break from all the dire domestic and international news on other podcasts. Well this week was about “Kate’s Big Comeback.” The podcaster (don’t remember his name) repeated several times that Kate’s been in remission for almost six months, but her workload remains below what it was in 2023. He also pointed out that William went to Cornwall with Sophie last week and is going to Norwich this week with another woman who is not Kate and whom I don’t think is royal either (I didn’t recognize her name). He even said there’s nothing on Kate’s calendar/the Royal Diary that would preclude her from going to Norwich with William.
But did the podcaster ask why, or did he say she was failing to meet basic expectations? Did he ask why she’s bailing on her husband twice in two weeks? Or why she didn’t take the Father’s Day picture of William and the podcaster said he “assumed” that she was the one who put it up on their social media?
Of course not. He peddled Kate’s new situation as a “big victory” for Kate. He repeated “big victory for her” several times. Because, he claims, the British public really only needs to see a few pictures of her a few times a year and they’re beyond ecstatic, and those Republic people aren’t going to change anything. Whereas, before the cancer scare she was losing the social media war about her work effort. So, it’s a big victory for Kate because nobody in Britain expects her to work any more, or is even asking why she doesn’t work any more, ergo she doesn’t have to work any more.
Ugh.
The look of extreme concern in Carole’s eyes as a downcast William relates something to her in the Royal Box at Ascot today suggests to me that Kate imay be battling mental illness and as a result is fragile and unpredictable hence the last minute change of plan.
I find it difficult to draw that conclusion about her being mentally ill because from everything I’ve learned about Kate from the royal biographies, the newspaper columns and from Spare, Kate is demonstrably a calculating individual. She is described as very aware of the impact of her actions. I believe at the moment she is in control of her life within the institution and is able to dictate her work arrangements. It may be a consequence of William screwing up massively with something which could shake the foundations of the monarchy if made public and that screwup allows her to exert greater authority within their past year. Who knows what it is but she seems to have a new authority. 🤷🏽♀️
William may well have been delivering bad news about Kate’s mental state to Carole. Or, he strikes me as the type who wouldn’t hold back his feelings about Kate upstaging him at Trooping and Ascot, and a possible fight, and Carole was uncomfortable hearing that. I do think Kate’s struggling mentally, though.
I really don’t think that Kate is fragile as people think she is. Based on published royal biographies, newspaper columns and Spare, she seems like a very calculating individual. I think she just does not like working and will do whatever it takes to avoid engagements as much as she possibly can. She prefers to lounge and vacation as much ad she can. She was photographed skiing a month or so ago; her 4th of 5th vacation in 2025 I believe. 🤷🏽♀️
The only pics I saw of them looking “downcast” was of them looking down as they were probably taking a step down bc someone was showing them where to sit or stand? Maybe I missed one. But the one I saw was of Carole beaming up at William. And one of Carole chatting right next to the king. LOL. So no, she did not look concerned about about Kate’s health, mental or otherwise.
A flight with William would be my guess. He’s been getting some awful press lately, and two recent articles in particular come to mind. One stressed that Kate is the only royal people are showing up to see because she’s the only one in the family with glamour (Ow!), and the other said that the entire future of the monarchy rests on the “slender shoulders” of his children (Ouch!). I think William doesn’t want her there spoiling his fun. Probably Camila and Charles don’t want her there either stealing their thunder. I’m so glad Harry and Meghan escaped.
I don’t think William knew she was not going to attend today (they’re likely living separately). I think the arrangement was for them to both attend today (one day only) to promote the loving marriage image. I think with all the speculation coming from today’s absence they will likely ask her to attend another day to appease the public which means William will have to attend another day. I think he would be pissed since he had probably only planned to attend today. 🤷🏽♀️
That’s another possibility. But will Charles let her attend another day? He expected her there today. Poor Lord Soames was bumped from his carriage bc of this. But at the same time, Carole, Alize and Lucy straubenezee were all there and that would have been a good photographic moment for Kate to be surrounded by “friends” and supporters. It feels like that could have even been the plan? I don’t know that she planned to not be there either. Unless she doesn’t get on with Lucy anymore idk.
I think she’s calling the shots. If they choose to invite her there another day she may or may not go. For her there’s no downside to whether or not she goes. The downside is on the image of Charles and the toxic institution. Their reputation regarding the treatment of women who marry into the family is extremely shaky. I think Kate understands that and is leveraging that to dictate her work arrangement.
Fair enough. I agree that she has more say than people give her credit for her. In this case, I just can’t tell. I do think the plan was for her to go today. And that there was a reason that she didn’t go. And it was last minute. But I do think Carole was also expecting her to be there. What that means, idk. William and Charles were both photographed with Carole. Whatever that means, idk. Know who else was photographed with Carole? Poor Lord Soames, Winston’s Churchill’s grandson, who was given a prime spot to be photographed in the royal box with the king and queen and Carole after Carole’s daughter’s absence caused him to be bumped from the carriage ride. Sorry, I’m just laughing about it. It’s possible that she will go another day after the heightened interest in her last minute cancellation. But Charles and Camilla would be fools to let her if it was just a power play.
Dutch national here. Meanwhile, our 22 year old crown princess fell from a horse a couple of days ago, broke her upper arm, requiring surgery, but still attended an engagement today for the regiment in her name in the hot and humid Dutch summer heat. The PoW cant even manage a short carriage ride? Either she is terribly ill or they really dont care.
Kate is averse to work. It’s a well documented. 🤷🏽♀️
Oh, no! But oh, the resiliency of youth! And yes, an actual sense of duty.
Salute the Dutch Crown Princess, that’s stoical royal duty for you.
Kate ain’t going back to ‘work’ until Wimbledon. Now that they mentioned the cancer thing in the article, people will feel sorry for her and when she appears at Wimbledon to give the male winner his trophy, the crowd will go wild for her. Kate knows exactly what she’s doing.
Something nice: I really like the way those multiple strands of pearls lie in that neckline of her blazer. Very pretty
I think the whole thing is a mess behind the scenes. There’s no cohesiveness. The last time they were united was their goal to terrorize the Sussexes. They got what they wanted so now what? They should have focused on regular medical check ups snd screenings instead. If she wants to take a mental health day or just sick of her husband, it is what it is. William looks a mess himself.
So she’ll get another standing ovation at Wimbledon after this, won’t she? Mission accomplished?