Prince William carries on without Kate Middleton after her shock U-turn

Prince William is carrying on without Kate Middleton by his side.

The Prince of Wales arrived solo at Royal Ascot on Wednesday, June 18, after the Princess made a surprise U-turn and pulled out of the high-profile outing at the last minute.

William arrived in the first carriage alongside King Charles, Queen Camilla, and Prince Saud bin Khalid Al-Saud of Saudi Arabia. The future king is set to present the trophy for the Prince of Wales’ Stakes later in the day.

Although the Princess of Wales wasn’t in attendance, two members of her family were spotted in the stands — her mother Carole Middleton and sister-in-law Alizée Thevenet, who is married to Kate’s brother James.

According to Ascot’s official update, the Princess of Wales’ name was removed from the carriage list just hours before the Royal Procession began.

Kate is still pacing her return to public duties as she continues recovering from cancer. After nearly a year out of the spotlight, she only recently resumed engagements following her January surgery and treatment.

The outing follows a busy weekend for William and Kate, who attended Trooping the Colour with their children followed by another appearance at the Garter Day service.