Prince William has been photographed assisting his mother-in-law Carole Middleton out of a tricky situation at Royal Ascot as Kate’s mum made her first public appearance since her daughter’s cancer diagnosis.
Princess Kate is back. The future queen made her highly anticipated return to public life over the weekend for Trooping the Colour.
This was Princess Kate’s first public appearance since December when she revealed to the world she was battling cancer and would have to undergo preventive chemotherapy.
Sky News All Stars Russel Myers, Louise Roberts and Peter Stefanovic take a look at the appearance and discuss what’s next for the beloved princess and her family.
Carole, 69, joined her husband Michael and son-in-law Prince William for the second day of Royal Ascot on Wednesday, just days after Kate made her public return at Trooping the Colour.
The Royal Meeting at Ascot racecourse, held in June each year, remains the highlight of the British summer social calendar for aristocrats and attracts a wide variety of royal family members.
At one point, Carole was assisted by her son-in-law after her heel became wedged in the grass, causing the Middleton matriarch to almost lose her balance and slide out of her shoe.
Carole Middleton speaks with Prince William, Prince of Wales at Royal Ascot. Picture: Getty.
William quickly stepped in to assist his mother-in-law and helped her regain her balance.
Royal commentators praised the heartwarming moment as proof that the future monarch is a “gentlemen”.
“William’s helping hand to Carole shows he is a true gentleman,” royal reporter Rebecca English said on X (formerly Twitter).
Meanwhile, Princess Catherine skipped the racing festivities altogether amid her ongoing chemotherapy treatment for cancer.
Loading embed…
Middleton stepped out at Royal Ascot in her first public appearance since her daughter’s cancer diagnosis. Picture by Chris Jackson/Getty Images.
Kate, 42, provided a rare update on her cancer treatment last Friday and admitted while she is “making good progress” she still has “bad days”.
“I am making good progress, but as anyone going through chemotherapy will know, there are good days and bad days,” she said in a statement.
“On those bad days you feel weak, tired and you have to give in to your body resting. But on the good days, when you feel stronger, you want to make the most of feeling well.”
Kate’s parents have reportedly been a source of support for the Wales family amid the Princess’ illness and are understood to be assisting with the school runs for Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, eight, and Prince Louis, six.
Kate is “going well” amid her cancer battle but skipped Ascot. Picture: AP Photo/Alastair Grant.
Carole, a former flight attendant, made her fortune through the party supplies business Party Pieces, which enabled the Middletons to buy a manor home and send their three children to elite private schools.
Unfortunately, the business was sold and then collapsed in 2023, leaving a wake of creditors and unpaid vendors and prompting calls for Kate or her wealthy sister Pippa to step in and pay off their family’s business debts.
According to royal insider Richard Eden, the collapse of Party Pieces was “deeply” upsetting for Carole.
“Carole Middleton was left deeply upset by the collapse of her mail-order business, Party Pieces, which went bust last year,” he told the Daily Mail.
“Happily, her family hasn’t been put off parties altogether.”