Royal Fans Couldn't Look Away From Kate & Charles At 2024 Trooping The Colour

The 2024 Trooping the Colour was even more special than previous years, as it marked the return of Catherine, Princess of Wales, who has been mostly absent from royal duties since sharing her cancer diagnosis in March 2024. During that video announcement, Kate shared that she would be stepping away from the public, though no one knew for how long that would be. Thankfully, she was able to join the other royals, including her father-in-law, King Charles III, who is also being treated for an undisclosed cancer — and royal fans couldn't look away from the pair.

In Kate and Charles' first time being together publicly since their diagnoses, both appeared healthy and regal. Kate wore a white dress with black accents, while Charles was draped in the tunic of the Guard of Honour Order with a blue sash and several medals. Their appearance is a welcome relief for those who have been concerned about the king and future queen. The day before Trooping the Colour commenced, Kate updated her supporters that she was making progress with her condition. Furthermore, Charles' health updates have been rooted in grim rumors about him allegedly not doing as well.  

Nevertheless, the pair looked in good spirits as they observed Royal Air Force jets flying past the palace in honor of the King's official birthday. They were joined by Prince William, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis, and Queen Camilla, but some royal watchers believed that Charles and Kate appeared closer than the other family members.

King Charles III was reportedly excited to learn that his daughter-in-law Kate Middleton would be strutting back to her royal duties during the 2024 Trooping the Colour. In a statement to the BBC ahead of the joyful occasion, a spokesperson for Buckingham Palace shared that Charles was happy to learn Kate would be joining the festivities. His touching interactions with her seemed to display just that.

The two stood close to one another, with Kate smiling proudly as she spoke to Charles. Body language expert Judi James explained to the Daily Mail that while Kate and the king have always shared a bond, their recent illnesses may have only brought them closer. She believes this was evident when the two were standing on the balcony. 

During last year's Trooping the Colour, Charles stood next to his son, Prince William. However, this year, he opted to stand side-by-side with Kate. "Charles made Kate his center of attention to signal both how much she is cherished and how grateful he was at her attendance today," James explained. "Kate was placed beside her father-in-law and the pair engaged in some bouts of animated conversation that included eye contact and laughter."

As the massive crowd gathered to witness the return of Catherine, Princess of Wales and King Charles III, the national anthem played. Body language expert Judi James believes this provoked a rare moment of emotion from Charles. "Kate relaxed as the chats went on and by the end of the appearance her wide, fun, dimpled smile had returned. Charles also seemed grateful for the empathetic bond with Kate as by the singing of the anthem he was looking brought close to tears by the crowd's support for them both," she further speculated to the Mirror. 

Though it's clear that Charles was happy to share the moment with Kate, James further believes that the Princess of Wales was careful not to take the spotlight away from Charles, especially when she and her three children were being transported in the carriage. While lending her expertise to another outlet, James told The U.S. Sun, "There was a hint of discretion or maybe a desire to not upstage in the way Kate's hat brim was tilted to partially hide her face in the carriage." Despite such challenging times for the royal family, it remains evident that Kate and Charles are sticking together.