Kate Middleton made a triumphant return to royal duties for Trooping the Colour on Saturday, after being diagnosed with cancer in March. The Princess of Wales looked overjoyed as she waved to excited crowds on the streets of London. In a statement, she mentioned she might attend more royal events later this summer.
While the royal family celebrated Kate’s and King Charles’ return to their roles, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were notably absent. Reports say they weren’t even invited to the grand royal celebration, which might not be surprising considering recent events.
Despite not being there, the Sussexes, especially Meghan Markle, still managed to grab attention. Just hours before Kate’s public return, Meghan released a new product through her lifestyle company, sparking accusations that she was trying to steal the spotlight from the Princess of Wales.
Kate Middleton’s Return to Royal Duties After Cancer Treatment
In a heartfelt statement, Kate shared her excitement about attending Trooping the Colour, marking her first royal appearance since her abdominal surgery in January and subsequent cancer treatment.
“I have been blown away by all the kind messages of support and encouragement over the last couple of months. It really has made the world of difference to William and me and has helped us both through some of the harder times,” Kate said.
She added, “I am making good progress, but as anyone going through chemotherapy will know, there are good days and bad days. On those bad days, you feel weak and tired and have to give in to your body resting. But on the good days, when you feel stronger, you want to make the most of feeling well.”
Kate continued, “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, spend personal time on the things that give me energy and positivity, as well as starting to do a little work from home.”
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Not Invited to Trooping the Colour
For years, the royal family has dealt with a feud involving the estranged Sussexes, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. The couple hasn’t been actively involved with the royal family for years, with their last appearance being at Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral in 2022.
Reports suggest King Charles has invited Archie and Lilibet to Balmoral this summer to spend time with the family and meet their cousins, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. However, their absence from Trooping the Colour wasn’t surprising.
Royal expert Tom Quinn mentioned that there had been discussions about inviting Harry and Meghan to the event. However, the idea was quickly dismissed.
“There was a brief discussion among the senior Royals about inviting Harry and Meghan to Trooping the Colour, but the idea was quickly dismissed because even if the couple accepted the invitation, there is a feeling that they cast a dark shadow over everything,” Quinn told the Mirror.
Meghan Markle Accused of Stealing Kate Middleton’s Spotlight
Kate and Meghan were never close while both were senior members of the royal family. Their relationship further deteriorated after Meghan and Harry left the royal family and made several accusations against it in interviews, their Netflix series, and Harry’s book.
On Saturday, June 15, just hours before Trooping the Colour, Argentinian polo player Nacho Figueras, a close friend of Meghan and Harry, revealed a new raspberry-flavored jam from Meghan’s brand via an Instagram Story. This announcement’s timing left many royal fans angry, leading them to express their frustration on social media.
“Try to steal the spotlight from the RF,” one person wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, according to OK! Magazine. “Yet it is still shocking and disgusting.”
Another person commented, “Narcissism at its finest,” while a third added, “No. Meghan can never outshine Princess Kate, not then, now, ever.”
Source Claims Meghan Markle Had Nothing to Do With It
Although many were upset with Meghan, a source close to her told the Daily Beast that she had nothing to do with the timing of the announcement.
The source explained, “While I am sure the gift packages had notes seeking social media coverage, you cannot instruct Nacho Figueras what to do. So I believe the timing of his post was his own initiative.”
The source continued, “The larger point here is that the American Riviera Orchard campaign has been phenomenally successful and cost Meghan nothing.”
They concluded, “It is a textbook social media campaign. The only problem is that there still seems to be nothing actually for sale, so what is it all for? I guess we will find out.”
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