Latest news with #GarterDay
Miami Herald
15 hours ago
- Health
- Miami Herald
‘Panic' over Kate Middleton's health after her sudden no-show at Ascot
Publicly, Kensington Palace sought to downplay Kate Middleton's last-minute decision Wednesday to pull out of making an appearance at the Royal Ascot horse-racing festival. But behind the scenes, palace insiders revealed to the Daily Beast that the sudden decision by Catherine, the Princess of Wales, to withdraw from such a high-profile event set off "a real sense of panic" and concern about a possible downturn in her health. It was just six months ago that the future queen said she was in remission from an unspecified form of cancer, which had kept her from attending Ascot and many other royal events last year. To observers, Kate seemed well enough at Trooping the Color on June 14 and Garter Day on June 16. As of noon Wednesday, according to The Telegraph, Kate was still on the "carriage list," expected to ride with Prince William. But she canceled less than an hour later. "Everyone was wandering around going, 'What is going on?'" a former courtier told the Daily Beast. "One minute she was going, and the next she wasn't. This is one of the biggest days of the year in the royal calendar; you don't just miss Ascot on a whim, so there was a real sense of panic." The former courtier, who reportedly retains good links to Kensington Palace staff, also said: "The chaotic nature of the announcement was eerily reminiscent of the dark days of last year. People were bewildered and worried." The "dark days of last year" is a reference to those first four months in 2024, when there was a near total black-out on news about Kate's health, following the stunning news in January 2024 that the seemingly healthy mother of three had undergone major abdominal surgery for a health condition that Kensington Palace wouldn't reveal. The palace also would only say that she would spend a lengthy and concerning two weeks in the hospital recovering from the surgery and miss out on a number of high-profile royal events for the foreseeable future. For the next few months, the palace's refusal to say anything more about Kate's "personal medical information" led to growing worldwide speculation and wild internet conspiracy theories about her well-being, with people wondering if she'd left William, had a nervous breakdown or was even dying. Finally, in March 2024, Kate announced herself, via a recorded video, that she had cancer, though she wouldn't offer information about the form of cancer or her prognosis. In September 2024, Kate announced, via another recorded video, that she had finished "preventative chemotherapy." In January, she followed up to say she was in remission. To her credit, the Daily Beast said, Kate warned the public that her plans for public appearances would be subject to change as she continues her recovery. On Wednesday, the palace appeared to follow her lead with sources saying she was "disappointed" to miss Ascot but that she was still trying to find "balance" between fulfilling royal duties and focusing on her long-term recovery. Daily Mail columnist Richard Eden reported that William appeared to be in good spirits, switching to ride in a carriage with King Charles III, Queen Camilla and Prince Saud bin Khalid al-Saud, a key member of Saudi Arabia's ruling family. A friend of the princess sought to bolster the palace message message by telling the Daily Beast: "My understanding is that Kate was basically exhausted after Trooping the Color on Saturday and Garter Day on Monday and couldn't face it. There are good days and bad days, as she herself has very candidly said." Another friend similarly told Eden: "Catherine knows she should not overdo things. She is grateful that her recovery has gone well, but things have not been plain sailing." The Telegraph said that Kate has gradually increased her workload in recent months but has made clear that her More recently, she has gradually been increasing her workload but has made clear that her focus remains on her health. _____ Copyright (C) 2025, Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Portions copyrighted by the respective providers.
Telegraph
18 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Watch: Camera phones are out – inside the King's carriage
For the Marchioness of Salisbury, such a grand arrival at Royal Ascot had to be captured for posterity. No matter that she was travelling alongside the King and Queen, the Marchioness could not resist whipping out her mobile phone to photograph the moment. The Marquess and Marchioness of Salisbury joined the King and Queen in the first carriage of the royal procession on Thursday, the third day of the racing spectacle. As their carriage sailed onto the Berkshire course, the Marchioness plucked her phone from her handbag and held it aloft to capture the cheering crowds. If their Majesties were surprised, they did not show it, waving happily at delighted racegoers as their guest documented the moment. The Marquess is Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 78, who worked in banking before being elected Tory MP for South Dorset in 1979. As Viscount Cranbourne, he became leader of the Lords in 1994 and later, Lead of the Opposition in the Lords, when he negotiated with Tony Blair's Labour Government to retain a certain number of hereditary peers. He was knighted in 2012 and in 2019 was appointed a Knight of the Order of the Garter. He and his wife, Hannah, 81, also joined the King and Queen for lunch at Windsor Castle, followed by the traditional Garter Day procession and service on Monday. The couple have five grown up children and live at the family seat, Hatfield House in Hertfordshire. Following swiftly behind them in the second carriage were the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, who are celebrating their 26th wedding anniversary, alongside the Princess Royal and her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence. In the third carriage was Princess Beatrice with her husband, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, Princess Zahra Aga Khan, elder daughter of the late Aga Khan, and William Haggas, a horse trainer. Zara and Mike Tindall, who have attended every day this week, were in the fourth carriage alongside, William Parente, only grandson of William 'Chopper' Cavendish-Bentinck, 7th Duke of Portland, and his wife, Alison Swan Parente, founder of the School of Artisan Food. The royal tour de force on Gold Cup day – otherwise known as Ladies' Day – at the Berkshire course, came after the Princess of Wales pulled out of a planned appearance on Wednesday at the last minute. The carriage list, published at 12pm, listed the Princess alongside the Prince of Wales in the second carriage of the royal procession. However, 20 minutes after it was released, a Kensington Palace source said she would not be attending as she continued to prioritise her recovery following cancer treatment. The Princess had made three public appearances within the last week, at a solo engagement at the V&A Museum in east London last Tuesday, at Trooping the Colour on Saturday and then at the Garter Day service in Windsor on Monday. She was said to be disappointed to miss out on Ascot but her absence was seen as a reminder of the complexities of 'the cancer journey', which she acknowledged last September was 'scary and unpredictable for everyone'. The King and Queen were left disappointed on Wednesday when their horse, Rainbows Edge, slumped to a seventh place finish in the Kensington Palace Stakes, just a day after their first runner, Reaching High, bred by Elizabeth II, came in ninth place in the Ascot Stakes. They will now be pinning their hopes on Purple Rainbow, their runner in the Sandringham Stakes on Friday and The King's Falcon, in the Golden Gates Stakes Handicap on Saturday.
Daily Mirror
21 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Princess Kate Ascot confusion deepens as everyone misses key 'friend' detail
Princess Kate did not attend Royal Ascot with her husband, despite originally being listed in the carriage procession, but confusion has deepened after the attendance of several of her close pals Royal fans were sorely disappointed that the Princess of Wales did not attend Royal Ascot along with the other senior royals. Kate - whose Ascot outfit is always keenly looked out for by royal watchers - was originally featured on the programme in the carriage list for day two - and mentioned on the official Royal Ascot social media accounts. However, within half an hour they posted a new list - without the Princess's name. Kensington Palace then said that a "miscommunication" had taken place. "We notified Ascot that Her Royal Highness would not be attending. Unfortunately an inaccurate version of the carriage list was issued in error after that notification. The correct list was then circulated," said a spokesperson. This left Prince William to attend the proceedings solo, travelling in the first carriage with King Charles, Queen Camilla, and Prince Saud bin Khalid al-Saud - from Saudi Arabia's ruling family. The Mail Online reports that the Royal Enclosure was abuzz with discussion about the future Queen's whereabouts - especially given how many close pals of William and Kate had been invited to attend the same day, a detail missed by many royal watchers initially. Princess Charlotte's godfather, Thomas van Straubenzee, and his wife Lucy - who used to be a teacher at Charlotte's former primary school - were in attendance. Old Eton pal James Meade was also there - who has long been a member of William's inner circle - as well as Sam Waley-Cohen, who is reported to have helped William and Kate rekindle their relationship after they briefly split up in 2007. Kate's mum, Carole Middleton, and sister-in-law Alizee Thevenet, also went to day two of the iconic horse racing event - which is a beloved fixture in the royal calendar. The Mirror understands that part of the reason behind Kate's absence is that she is striving to find work-life balance with her public engagements, as she eases back into royal duties after announcing she is in remission from cancer only a few months ago. Though Kate was said to be "disappointed" to miss the day of horseracing, Kensington Palace has repeatedly noted that a flexible approach will be needed with her diary. In the week prior to missing Ascot, Kate attended three high-profile royal events, including Trooping the Colour and Garter Day. One of Kate's pals is reported as saying by the Mail "Catherine knows she should not overdo things. She is grateful that her recovery has gone well, but things have not been plain sailing. "She had a busy day at Trooping the Colour at the weekend and, if she's feeling slightly under the weather, it's better that she takes it easy," but her friends would not be drawn on the specific reasons behind her deciding to give it a miss, mindful that her health is a private issue, and wanting to discourage speculation. A source at Royal Ascot said: "Obviously it's a great disappointment the Princess of Wales not being able to attend, but everyone is of course mindful of her schedule and we look forward to welcoming her next year."
Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Palace sets record straight with explanation on Kate's absence at Royal Ascot
Despite being featured in the Royal Ascot programme, the Princess of Wales pulled out of the event yesterday, leaving Prince William to attend the racing day solo Princess Kate pulled out of the royal procession on day two of Royal Ascot yesterday, shocking many eager royal fans and racegoers who were eagerly anticipating a glimpse of the princess. Kate's absence left Prince William to attend the event solo, joining King Charles and Queen Camilla in the first carriage of the procession. Kate's sudden absence surprised many people, given the fact that her name had already been printed in the day two programme and shared by the Royal Ascot social media accounts. However, the Palace soon clarified that Kate's non-attendance at the event was the result of a "miscommunication". The confusion began when the Royal Ascot X and Instagram pages, seeming to confirm that Princess Kate would be riding in the first carriage alongside King Charles, Queen Camilla and Prince William. However, just moments later, Kensington Palace issued a statement saying Kate would not be coming. At the time, the Palace suggested that the princess' attendance had actually not been confirmed with Royal Ascot, and her name being printed in the official programme and being announced by racing chiefs at the festival to appear in the royal procession was due to a "communications error". The Princess was announced to be present in the royal procession at noon before her no show was confirmed by Kensington Palace at 12.20pm: less than two hours before the royal procession was due to begin at 2pm. A spokesperson said: "We notified Ascot that Her Royal Highness would not be attending. Unfortunately an inaccurate version of the carriage list was issued in error after that notification. The correct list was then circulated." The Prince and Princess of Wales are not expected to attend any further days of the festival. The last-minute change necessitated a reshuffle of the carriage arrangements, with Lord Soames, a close friend of the King, losing his place to accommodate Prince William in the first carriage. William joined King Charles, Queen Camilla and Saudi Arabia's Prince Saud bin Khalid Al-Saud for the traditional procession, while an updated list was hastily distributed to correct the earlier mistake. It is understood that the reason behind Kate's absence stems from her trying to find the right balance as she fully returns to public-facing engagements, just months after she announced her cancer was in remission. A royal source reiterated that Kensington Palace has consistently stressed the need for 'flexibility' around the Princess of Wales' public engagements. The source added that the princess completed three engagements in the last week, attending the new V&A East Storeroom exhibition space in London, the King's official birthday celebrations at Trooping the Colour on Saturday and Garter Day on Monday in Windsor. A source at Royal Ascot said: "Obviously it's a great disappointment the Princess of Wales not being able to attend, but everyone is of course mindful of her schedule and we look forward to welcoming her next year."
Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Special way Princess Kate leans on Sophie for support in cancer recovery
As Princess Kate has made her return to royal duties after completing her cancer treatment, she has found comfort and reliability in Duchess Sophie, as their sisterly relationship continues to grow stronger As Princess Kate has made her triumphant return to select royal duties since announcing her cancer is now in remission, she has found comfort in one key royal player: Duchess Sophie. The pair have often been seen sharing laughs and conversing during royal engagements, with their friendship only growing stronger over the years. Kate has found solace in Sophie's friendship at royal events in years past, with the dynamic duo even occasionally dressing in complimenting outfits when stepping out together. Sophie and Kate were seen looking dazzling at Garter Day on Monday, wearing matching pastel ensembles, as they reminded royal onlookers of their tight-knit bond. The sisterly friendship between Kate and Sophie stems back to when Kate first joined the royal family in the late 2000s with her marriage to Prince William, and was fostered by the fact that both women were seen as a safe pair of hands to represent the royal family by the late Queen Elizabeth. The two women have much in common - not least they were both from non-royal families and held down normal jobs before marrying into the Firm. Sophie has also brought up her now-grown-up children, Lady Louise Windsor and James, the Earl of Wessex, while juggling full-time royal duties - something that Kate is also now grappling with as she raises Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. And former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond told the Mirror: "There seems to be a real friendship between Sophie and Catherine. It's hard to think of them as aunt and niece. They seem much more like sisters or cousins." "I think Sophie has been able to offer Catherine a huge amount of advice over the years – not just about how to fit into this very elite family, but also about how to juggle a hectic working life with bringing up children. "And I suspect that Sophie has been a great comfort to Catherine (and indeed to William) during the past very difficult 18 months. Sophie went through some alarming health scares during childbirth and would have been a shoulder to cry on if Catherine felt the need. "When you join the royal family, it must be rather like subscribing to a secret society. There are so few people you can trust, so few friends you can confidently confide in. I'm sure Catherine has always felt that Sophie is a safe pair of hands and someone she can easily trust - and visa versa." Today marks a special day for Sophie as it is her and Prince Edward's wedding anniversary, with the pair marking 26 years of marriage. Unlike the late Queen's other children, Edward is the only one not to have divorced. And Jennie believes there is one major key that contributes to their successful marriage. She explained: "I think they have said it themselves. They are best friends. In Sophie's own words, delivered in a tearful tribute to her husband for his 60th birthday, she called him 'the best of fathers the most loving of husbands and still my best friend'. "Edward has described his wife as his rock and said he was 'incredibly lucky to have found Sophie'. To be perfectly frank I used to think Edward was slightly pompous. But I was wrong. I've met him a few times over the years and watched him at work. He's actually very engaging, almost relentlessly jolly - and throws himself into every engagement: asking numerous questions and chatting quite freely with the crowds." With the slimmed-down monarchy looking even slimmer of late, especially since the departure of Prince Harry and Meghan, Edward and Sophie have been described as filling the gap. It is said that the King regards both of them as key players, with them also tipped to play a huge role when William becomes King. And Jennie said: "Sophie is a diamond. Unpretentious, down to earth – often does her own make-up and even drives herself to her engagements. She's the easiest person in the world to chat with and doesn't seem bothered about attracting headlines. Sometimes her visits aren't even flagged up to the press. "Recently, though, as they assumed their very senior positions as Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, we have learned more about their work and I think they're getting some of the recognition they deserve. "Like other members of the royal family, they're not fussed about having publicity about themselves: what they want is publicity about the causes and charities they are supporting. "They, in turn, will continue to play an important role in supporting King Charles, and then King William. And, for the next decade or two at least, I think we shall be seeing more and more of Edward and Sophie."
