Kate Middleton’s team ‘downplaying’ Royal Ascot absence amid fresh panic

Kate Middleton was scheduled to appear alongside Prince William on the second day of Royal Ascot on Wednesday but the Prince of Wales seen arriving solo with King Charles and Queen Camilla.

Kensington Palace announcement about the Princess of Wales’s last-minute call to pull out of the Royal Ascot appearance may have been brushed aside as a ‘no big deal’ but that was not the case for the courtiers at the Palace.

According to a royal insider, there was a “real sense of panic” at the palace after Kate’s dramatic decision about her health.

The source told The Daily Beast that the announcement left the staff “bewildered and worried” especially since the “carriage list” included Kate’s name when it was released around noon time – the event was to start an hour later.

However, the team tried indicate that the change in plans was just Kate seeking “balance” as she continues prioritise her health after remission. The palace did not release an on-the-record explanation.

Kate revealed that she was “cancer free” in September 2024 but mentioned that there are “good and bad days”. Previously, the Palace also stated that her appearances would not be confirmed until the last minute depending on how she is feeling that day.

On Wednesday, a former courtier with connections to the current staff told the outlet that everyone was “wandering around going, ‘What is going on?’”

They described, “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 courtier pointed out that “chaotic nature” of the announcement was “eerily reminiscent of the dark days of last year” which is why the staff was in panic.