“No! No! Did somebody actually do that?”
Kate Middleton continues to ease her way back into public and royal life.
The 43-year-old Princess of Wales was originally expected to be seated in a carriage alongside her husband, Prince William, at Royal Ascot on Wednesday, June 18.
But the mother of three surprisingly pulled out of the event mere moments before she was set to appear.
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Instead, Prince William — who shares Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, 7, with Middleton — was seated next to his father, King Charles III, and stepmom, Queen Camilla.
Prince Saud bin Khalid Al-Saud of Saudi Arabia was also seated in the carriage, per People.
According to the outlet, the last-minute decision marked Middleton’s first major cancellation since returning to her royal duties following the completion of her cancer treatment.
"She’s being sensible, listening to what her body is telling her and easing back into public life," Queen Elizabeth’s former spokeswoman Ailsa Anderson told People.
While reports indicate that Middleton is disappointed to miss the event, People’s sources clarified that the Princess of Wales is “focused on striking a balance” as she continues her comeback.
"She has not been able to have the privacy that a person who faces this kind of illness is normally afforded," a second source told People.
The cancellation comes just a few days after Middleton’s appearance at Trooping the Colour on June 14 and the Garter Day Service at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle on June 16.
Middleton completed her cancer treatment in September
Middleton announced her cancer diagnosis in a March 2024 video statement posted to Instagram.
"In January, I underwent major abdominal surgery in London and at the time, it was thought that my condition was non-cancerous. The surgery was successful," she said in the video.
Not long after the operation, Middleton’s doctors confirmed that cancer was present.
"My medical team therefore advised that I should undergo a course of preventative chemotherapy and I am now in the early stages of that treatment,” she said at the time.
She made her first public appearance since the diagnosis at Trooping the Colour on June 15, 2024.
Three months later, Middleton announced that she had completed treatment, per ABC News.
"As the summer comes to an end, I cannot tell you what a relief it is to have finally completed my chemotherapy treatment," she said in a video message shared by Kensington Palace, per GMA.
"The last nine months have been incredibly tough for us as a family. Life as you know it can change in an instant and we have had to find a way to navigate the stormy waters and road unknown,” she added.
I wanted to take the opportunity to say thank you to The Royal Marsden for looking after me so well during the past year.
— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) January 14, 2025
My heartfelt thanks goes to all those who have quietly walked alongside William and me as we have navigated everything.
We couldn’t have asked for more.… pic.twitter.com/f3sA7yZdOi
On Jan. 14, she announced that her cancer was officially in remission.
“I remain focussed on recovery. As anyone who has experienced a cancer diagnosis will know, it takes time to adjust to a new normal,” she wrote in a message shared on X.
Middleton has slowly been ramping up her public appearances in the months since, but her latest cancellation was a small hiccup along the way.
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According to People, her decision to pull out was a simple reminder that she still needs time to adjust.
