King Charles & Carole Middleton Shut Down Rumors About Kate Dropping Out Of Royal Ascot 2025

Compared to last year, 2025 has looked very different for cancer-free Catherine, Princess of Wales. At last year's Trooping the Colour, Kate made her return to the public eye after a six-month absence during which she underwent cancer treatment. So, it felt somewhat monumental when Kate arrived at Trooping the Colour 2025 looking radiant. Just two days later, her glowing look at Order of the Garter seemed to say it all about her recovery, indicating that when it comes to royal events, things really are back to normal for the princess. Yet, when Kate skipped out on Royal Ascot at the last minute, it once again sparked worry about her health among fans. Luckily, her mom and father-in-law were at the event together. And, their body language is certainly indicating that all is well with the Waleses.

While Kate did not attend the second day of Royal Ascot, Carole Middleton was present dressed in head-to-toe yellow and an equally sunny smile. She watched the annual race from the royal box, spending plenty of time alongside King Charles III. And, based on photographs of the pair enjoying the event together, it seems that they weren't preoccupied or worried about Kate's absence.

Kate Middleton's plans to return to the royal spotlight in the wake of her cancer recovery were unclear from the start as far as the public is concerned. Despite ramping up her attendance at royal events as of late, Kate reportedly intended to stay lowkey in 2025. Back in January, a source told the Daily Mail, "What we will actually see is a slow continuation of the Princess balancing her recovery and her public-facing duties ... " adding, "Cancer impacts on your perspective, and what you have seen in the decisions they have made over the last year is that family and their children continue to be at the centre of their universe." So, the fact that Kate skipped out on one royal event after being in attendance for two big ones earlier in the week doesn't actually stray too far from her original plan for the year. Yet, the fact that she reportedly originally planned to attend Royal Ascot before skipping out right ahead of it did cause some alarm.

Luckily, Carole Middleton and King Charles seemed to be enjoying the event: laughing, whispering, and watching the race in awe. And, that certainly doesn't seem like evidence that Kate's absence was cause for concern. In reality, it seems that she is simply taking her return to public life one step — and one royal event — at a time.