Kate makes first public appearance since cancer diagnosis

LONDON:- Kate, Britain’s Princess of Wales, waved to crowds and smiled broadly from the balcony of Buckingham Palace after watching a military parade on Saturday, making her first public appearance this year as she undergoes treatment for cancer.

The princess, 42, spent two weeks in hospital in January after she underwent major abdominal surgery. Two months later she announced in a video message that tests had revealed the presence of cancer and she was receiving preventative chemotherapy.

She is still undergoing treatment, but her improved health meant she was able to appear in public for the first time since December.

The princess rode in a covered carriage with her three children to watch the “Trooping the Colour”, an annual military parade to mark the official birthday of the British monarch, King Charles.

Despite heavy rain showers, crowds lined the streets and waved and cheered as the carriage went past, outnumbering a small group of protesters holding placards calling for an end to the monarchy.

Charles rode in a separate carriage with Queen Camilla, followed by Prince William, Charles’ heir and Kate’s husband, who was on horseback along with other senior members of the royal family.

Kate, wearing a pale outfit decorated with a white and navy ribbon by British fashion designer Jenny Packham and a broad-brimmed matching hat by Irish milliner Philip Treacy, watched the ceremony from a window overlooking the parade ground.

She pointed out aspects of the event to her children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, while Charles saluted passing troops from a covered dais on the parade ground itself.

The king and queen, as well as William, Kate and other members of the royal family later returned to Buckingham Palace to watch a military flypast from the balcony. Kate smiled broadly and waved.

In a rare personal written message on Friday, she said she was making good progress but was “not out of the woods”.