Photo credit: JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images

After a five-month hiatus due to her cancer diagnosis, Princess Kate has re-emerged in public. She made her return at Trooping the Colour on Saturday, accompanied by her three children in a carriage. This ceremonial event and military parade celebrate the reigning British monarch’s birthday, despite King Charles III’s actual birthdate being on November 14.

Dressed in an elegant white fitted dress with a large white and black ribbon, her hair elegantly styled, and a coordinating hat, Kate observed the ceremony from a window overlooking the parade ground. Her ensemble was completed with white heels, pearl earrings, a brooch, and a structured black clutch. She shared this moment with her children: Prince George, 10; Princess Charlotte, 9; and Prince Louis, 6.

As the parade concluded, Kate returned to the carriage, smiling and waving to the enthusiastic crowds. The day before, Kensington Palace had surprised royal followers by announcing her return in a press release shared with USA TODAY, which included a new photograph of Kate. This announcement was also accompanied by an Instagram post on the official Prince and Princess of Wales account, showing Kate standing under a tree in a shaded area.

Since her cancer announcement in March, Kate, 42, has been undergoing preventative chemotherapy. In Friday’s statement, she updated on her health and clarified that this appearance did not mark a full return to her duties, stating she is “starting to do a little work from home.”

“My treatment is ongoing and will be for a few more months. On the days I feel well enough, it is a joy to engage with school life and spend personal time on the things that give me energy and positivity,” she wrote. In a personal note on Friday, she mentioned she was making good progress but was “not out of the woods” yet. She expressed her excitement for the parade and her hope to attend a few public engagements over the summer.

Kate had spent two weeks in the hospital in January following major abdominal surgery. In a March video message, she revealed her cancer diagnosis after weeks of tabloid speculation and online rumors about her absence.

At Trooping the Colour, the British Royal Family presented a united front. King Charles III and Queen Camilla, along with their grandchildren Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, stood on the balcony. Prince William and Princess Kate joined them, marking the first public appearance together for Kate and the King since disclosing their health issues.

Parade attendees were eager to see Princess Kate’s return. “I know it’s the king’s birthday, but all eyes will be on Kate because we haven’t seen her for a while,” said John Loughrey, who wore a T-shirt adorned with pictures of Kate.