The soldiers of the Irish Guards will be paying tribute to Princess Kate Middleton at the annual St. Patrick’s Day celebration.
“The Irish Guards will all have Kate in their thoughts and are planning a three cheers to her at the end of parade in Mons Barracks,” a source told Us Weekly.
The Princess of Wales, 42, has made appearances at the event in years prior, but she and her husband, Prince William, will not be in attendance this year, per People, as she recovers from abdominal surgery.
Kate was named the honorary Colonel of the Irish Guards by King Charles III in December 2022, taking over the role from William, 41, who had held the position since February 2011. (William became honorary Colonel of the Welsh Guards when his wife got her new title.)
During the March 2023 celebration, Kate said it was “a true honor” to be appointed the honorary Colonel of the Irish Guards. “I am here to listen to you, to support you, and to champion you in all you do — this is a responsibility I do not take lightly,” she said. “I look forward to spending more time with you and your families, seeing your commitment to duty and service in all you do.”
The news of Kate’s absence from the upcoming event comes months after Kensington Palace announced she had undergone a “planned” abdominal surgery and wouldn’t return to any royal engagements until after Easter.
Princess Kate visits the 1st Battalion Irish Guards on March 17, 2023 in Aldershot, England. Chris Jackson/Getty Images
Fans have since been concerned about Kate’s wellbeing and whereabouts. Earlier this month, she was photographed sitting in the passenger seat of a car alongside her mom, Carole Middleton, and she was also spotted leaving Windsor Castle in a car with William.
The controversy, however, escalated when she faced scrutiny over a recent manipulated photo shared for Mother’s Day in the U.K. After the pic was shared earlier this month, several international news agencies removed the snap from platforms after it appeared to be “manipulated” by the source.
The next day, Kate addressed the allegations. “Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing,” read a post via X shared via the official Prince and Princess of Wales account. “I wanted to express my apologies for any confusion the family photograph we shared yesterday caused. I hope everyone celebrating had a very happy Mother’s Day.”
While questions surrounding Kate’s health have been heightened, a separate source exclusively shared in Us Weekly’s cover story that Kate’s surgery remains in a “shroud of secrecy.”
“A few of Kate’s senior staffers haven’t been able to see or speak to her, and they didn’t even know about the surgery until it was announced, so it’s caught them off guard,” the insider claimed. “Kate has just recently started to open up to members of her inner circle about the nature of her operation and recovery process. “Only a few people know what’s really going on, and they’re tight-lipped.”