Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, is set to make a highly anticipated return to the annual Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey on Monday.
This marks her first appearance at the event since missing it last year due to health concerns.
Buckingham Palace confirmed that Kate will join her husband, Prince William, King Charles III, and Queen Camilla for the significant royal engagement.
Other senior royals, including Princess Anne and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, will also attend.
The event is a key fixture in the royal calendar and will be broadcast live on BBC’s YouTube channel.
Her presence signals a major step in her gradual return to public duties following her recovery from cancer treatment.
Kate Middleton’s return after cancer battle
The Princess of Wales took a break from public engagements last year to undergo preventative chemotherapy after a cancer diagnosis.
As previously reported on Monsters and Critics, Middleton revealed her cancer is in remission earlier this year.
Her absence coincided with King Charles, who also missed the service due to his own cancer treatment.
Queen Camilla and Prince William led the royal family at the event in 2024, while the King delivered his Commonwealth address via a pre-recorded video message.
This year, the theme “Together We Thrive” highlights the unity of the 56-member Commonwealth nations.
The service will see the return of both the King and the future Queen, reinforcing the importance of the event and their commitment to the organization.
What to expect on Commonwealth Day
The service will commence with the King and Queen being welcomed by the Dean of Westminster, followed by their greeting of the Shree Muktajeevan Swamibapa Pipe Band, a group from the UK’s first Hindu eco-temple, Shree Swaminarayan Mandir.
The royal procession will then follow the Commonwealth Mace Bearer, Kadeena Cox, a three-time Paralympic champion and two-time world champion in track cycling.
Heritage Sanmi Lawal, a youth advocate from Nigeria, per GB News, will carry the Commonwealth flag.
This year’s event will feature musical performances by the Masai Cultural Arts team, Britain’s Got Talent semi-finalists Braimah and Jeneba Kanneh-Mason, and Samoan soprano Aivale Cole.
Notable guests among the 2,000-strong congregation include Commonwealth Secretary-General Baroness Scotland and Secretary-General Elect Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey.
Kate Middleton’s last public appearance was on February 26, when she and Prince William visited South Wales ahead of St. David’s Day.
Her gradual return to public life, along with King Charles resuming his duties, marks a positive step forward following their cancer scares.