Kate Middleton posts personal letter to apologize for missing key Trooping the Color event

She wrote: “I wanted to write to you and let you know how proud I am of the whole regiment before the Colonel's Review and Color Parade. I appreciate that everyone participating this year has been training for months and putting in many hours to ensure their uniforms and drills are impeccable.

“Being your Colonel remains a great honor and I am truly sorry that I will not be able to receive the salute at this year’s Colonel’s Review. Please pass on my apologies to the entire regiment, however, I hope to be able to represent you again very soon. Please send best wishes and good luck to everyone involved.

In recent weeks, reports about the Princess of Wales have seemed positive, with sources suggesting she has been seen “out and about more” after “turning a corner” with her preventive chemotherapy.

Yet Kensington Palace has also stressed the need for “space and time” for Kate Middleton to recover, with sources suggesting last month that she would not return to royal duties until the autumn at the earliest. “No one wants to put pressure on Catherine,” said a close source. Online mail last week. “The only thing that matters right now is that she gets better.” She went through a challenge this year.

Despite Kate's absence, the Trooping of the Colors ceremony is still scheduled to take place on June 15. It celebrates the official birthday of the Sovereign and dates back to the 17th century. Last year's event saw King Charles ride a horse during the parade, marking the first time the reigning monarch had done so since 1986, when Queen Elizabeth II last rode. She then traveled by horse-drawn carriage (as Queen Camilla and Princess of Wales did at last year's event). This year, King Charles will travel in a carriage with the Queen amid his own battle with cancer.

Insiders said last week that the princess was feeling “much better” amid her cancer treatment. Talk to Vanity FairThis is Katie Nicholl. They said: “It was a great relief that she was tolerating the medication and doing much better.” Meanwhile, they added that “everyone rallied around” the princess, including the Prince of Wales and the Middletons, who have always been known for being a tight-knit unit.