Catherine, the Princess of Wales and wife of Prince William, canceled plans on Wednesday to attend the horse races at Royal Ascot, a last-minute withdrawal that raised questions about her health as she recovers from cancer.
Kensington Palace, where Catherine and William have their offices, confirmed that Catherine would skip the races, a cherished date on the social calendar of the royal family, which she had been scheduled to attend with William.
The decision appeared to be unexpected: The official program for the day’s events, published at noon on Wednesday, listed Catherine as riding in the second carriage of a royal procession, along with her husband.
Catherine has appeared more regularly in public since announcing last September that she had completed chemotherapy treatment for an undisclosed type of cancer. The palace did not say at the time whether she was medically free of cancer or undergoing any other treatment, but in January, she said she was in remission.
The princess is “disappointed” not to be present, said a palace official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, citing palace protocol. He added that she needed to find the “right balance” when returning to public engagements.
On Saturday, Catherine took part in Trooping the Color, an elaborate procession that marks the birthday of the monarch, King Charles III, who, like her, received a diagnosis of cancer last year. Her public appearances have become routine, though her schedule is not as busy as it was before her illness.
“As anyone who has experienced a cancer diagnosis will know, it takes time to adjust to a new normal,” Catherine wrote on Instagram in January when she announced that she was in remission. “I am however looking forward to a fulfilling year ahead. There is much to look forward to.”
Catherine remains one of the royal family’s most popular and glamorous members. In the parade marking the king’s birthday, she was widely photographed wearing an aquamarine dress coat and wide-brimmed hat. She rode in a carriage with her three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, while William rode on horseback.
She also appeared on Monday at Windsor Castle for Garter Day, a celebration of the Order of the Garter, one of the crown’s oldest noble orders. After missing the ceremony last year, Catherine arrived with Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, who is married to Prince Edward, the youngest brother of the king.
In March, Charles canceled a visit to Birmingham after he was briefly hospitalized because of side effects from his cancer treatment. Still, the king has kept up a busy schedule of travel and public engagements, flying to Canada last month to preside over the opening of the Canadian Parliament and playing host to guests, including President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine.
Catherine, while visible, has been more selective about her schedule. Worries about her health have nevertheless receded recently, with more focus on the king, who continues to undergo treatment. Catherine’s cancellation could be linked to the nature of the event she decided to miss or even to the weather.
Royal Ascot, which dates to 1711 and runs from Tuesday to Saturday, is a staple of the British social calendar — a whirl of men in tails, women in extravagant hats and plenty of day drinking, often, as this year, under a hot sun. By custom, assorted members of the royal family attend the five days of races, arriving at the course, west of London, in carriages from Windsor Castle.
In the original program, William and Catherine were listed as riding just behind Charles and his wife, Queen Camilla. They were to have been joined by Justin Rose, the English professional golfer, and his wife, Kate.
Mark Landler is the London bureau chief of The Times, covering the United Kingdom, as well as American foreign policy in Europe, Asia and the Middle East. He has been a journalist for more than three decades.
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