Princess Kate pulled out of the royal procession on the second day of Royal Ascot yesterday, leaving many royal fans and racegoers confused as her name had already been printed in the official programme.
Kensington Palace quickly clarified that the princess’s non-attendance was due to a “miscommunication”. A spokesperson said: “We notified Ascot that Her Royal Highness would not be attending. Unfortunately an inaccurate version of the carriage list was issued in error after that notification. The correct list was then circulated.”
The Princess of Wales has been carefully balancing her return to public duties following her cancer treatment, having completed three engagements in the past week. A royal source reiterated that the Palace has stressed the need for “flexibility” around her schedule.
Prince William joined King Charles, Queen Camilla and Saudi Arabia’s Prince Saud bin Khalid Al-Saud in the first carriage, necessitating a reshuffle that saw Lord Soames lose his place. The Prince and Princess of Wales are not expected to attend any further days of the festival.
A source at Royal Ascot said: “Obviously it’s a great disappointment the Princess of Wales not being able to attend, but everyone is of course mindful of her schedule and we look forward to welcoming her next year.”
