Prince William was at Trooping the Colour after all, riding on horseback in the parade as Kate Middleton arrived by carriage with Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. The question of why is prince william not at trooping the colour has an easy answer in the event itself: he was there, visible in a public role at the monarch’s birthday celebration.
That matters because Trooping the Colour is one of the most watched dates on the royal calendar, and this year’s appearance put the family’s split roles on display. Kate arrived in a light blue Catherine Walker dress with white piping and a large Philip Treacy hat, while William took part on horseback, a reminder that the day was not about absence but about who appeared where in the procession.
Kate’s presence carried extra weight because she has not missed Trooping the Colour since marrying William in 2011. Her return to public life at the parade two years ago came after news of her cancer diagnosis, and this year she continued a careful re-entry into public duties after announcing in September 2024 that she had finished chemotherapy treatment and saying in January 2025 that she was in remission. Earlier in June 2026, she carried out two engagements tied to cancer charities, then attended Peter Phillips and Harriet Sperling’s wedding in the Cotswolds that past weekend.
The details around her appearance also mattered. Kate wore Cassandra Goad pearl floral burst earrings, a piece she had already worn earlier this year for the installation of the new Archbishop of Canterbury, and had first debuted in 2018 at Prince Louis’s christening. Those choices, along with the carriage ride with the children, made her return look deliberate rather than hurried.
William’s own public comments about Kate add to that picture. In an interview referenced in the coverage, he said she was an amazing mum and wife and that the family could not cope without her, a remark that now sits beside a day in which both of them were present and active in different parts of the parade. The clearer takeaway is that the prince did not miss Trooping the Colour; he simply took his place on horseback while Kate arrived with the children, and the next question is how often the couple will keep dividing their public duties that way.
