LONDON — Britain’s government said Tuesday that Kate, the Princess of Wales, will attend a Trooping the Color ceremony in June. It’s the first appearance announced for the royal since she underwent abdominal surgery.
But the announcement by the U.K. Ministry of Defense caused confusion, because Prince William and Kate’s office, Kensington Palace, hasn’t confirmed any scheduled public events for Kate. It’s typically palace officials, not government departments, who announce and confirm the royals’ attendance at events.
Kate has been out of the public eye since January, when palace officials announced that she was admitted to a private London hospital for planned surgery. They didn’t provide more details, but said that she wouldn’t return to public duties until after Easter.
The Ministry of Defense said on its website that Kate, 42, who holds the title of Colonel of the Irish Guards, will inspect soldiers on parade during the June 8 ceremony.
The ceremony’s events, annual highlights in the royal calendar, are birthday parades to honor the reigning monarch and usually draw huge crowds. The tradition dates back more than 260 years. The spectacle is held at central London’s Horse Guards and along The Mall, the promenade outside Buckingham Palace.
The royal family has been under media scrutiny in recent weeks, because both Kate and King Charles III can’t carry out their usual public duties because of health problems.
Royal officials say that Charles is undergoing treatment for an unspecified form of cancer, which was discovered during treatment for an enlarged prostate. The monarch has canceled all his public engagements while he receives treatment.
Kate was discharged from hospitalization on Jan. 29 after two weeks for her undisclosed condition. Palace officials have said she wished her personal medical information to remain private.
Speculation about her health mounted last week when William at the last minute pulled out from a memorial service for his godfather, the late King Constantine of Greece, because of what officials called a “personal matter.”
Palace officials didn’t elaborate, but reiterated that Kate continues to do well in her recovery.