Kate, the Princess of Wales, will attend King Charles III’s birthday parade Saturday, her first appearance at a public event in months.
In a statement Friday, she said that she is still undergoing chemotherapy for her cancer and that she will continue treatment for a few more months. She said she is “making good progress,” but “there are good and bad days.”
“On those bad days you feel weak, tired and you have to give in to your body resting. But on the good days, when you feel stronger, you want to make the most of feeling well,” she said. “I’m looking forward to attending The King’s Birthday Parade this weekend with my family and hope to join a few public engagements over the summer, but equally knowing I am not out of the woods yet.”
Charles was born on Nov. 14, but the monarch’s birthday is traditionally celebrated in the summer because of the weather. A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said Charles is “delighted” that Kate will attend his parade.
Kate announced her cancer diagnosis in March after fierce, prolonged speculation about her whereabouts. At the time, she had not made an official public appearance since Christmas, and Kensington Palace made a series of blunders attempting to quash those rumors.
The news of Kate’s diagnosis sparked shock and remorse among the public. She said that doctors had found cancer cells after she underwent abdominal surgery in January.
“On the days I feel well enough, it is a joy to engage with school life, spend personal time on the things that give me energy and positivity, as well as starting to do a little work from home,” she said in her statement Friday.
She also thanked the public for their support. “I am learning how to be patient, especially with uncertainty,” she said. “Taking each day as it comes, listening to my body, and allowing myself to take this much needed time to heal.”
