Princess of Wales to miss first Colonel’s Review ahead of Trooping the Colour

Trooping the Colour is one of the highlights of the royal calendar, with most members of the royal family turning out for the colourful pageant. Photo / AP

The Princess of Wales will miss her first Colonel’s Review as she continues her recovery in private, the palace has confirmed.

The ceremonial military event, which takes place the weekend before Trooping the Colour, would have seen the princess take the salute as Colonel in Chief of the Irish Guards.

Instead, Lieutenant General James Bucknall will carry out the role of Inspecting Officer at Trooping the Colour on behalf of the princess next month as she continues to receive treatment for cancer.

From left, Princess Anne, Prince George, Kate, Princess of Wales, Prince Louis, Prince William, Princess Charlotte, the King and Queen view the flypast. Photo / AP

It follows earlier confusion after the Ministry of Defence (MoD) was forced to remove a statement from its website in early March, published without approval from Kensington Palace, which said the princess would attend Trooping.

A few weeks later, it revealed that she was undergoing preventative chemotherapy and would be convalescing at the family home in Windsor.

Bucknall will carry out the review as Colonel of the Coldstream Guards, having served as a Coldstream Guards Officer for more than 45 years. He has attended every monarch’s birthday parade since 2009.

Meanwhile, the King is to take part in the Trooping the Colour ceremony but will inspect the soldiers from a carriage rather than on horseback.

The monarch has recently returned to public-facing duties while still receiving treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer, and will now take part in one of the highlights of the royal calendar.

The King recently returned to public-facing duties. Photo / AP

The celebration, which traditionally involves the royal family gathering on the balcony of Buckingham Palace after a display of pomp and military pageantry, will be held on June 15.

During the ceremony, held on Horse Guards Parade in Whitehall, it is understood the King will carry out the review of the Guardsmen and officers from an Ascot Landau carriage with the Queen.

The change from last year’s ceremony, when he inspected the troops on horseback, reflects earlier Buckingham Palace briefings at which it was highlighted that each engagement by the King would be reviewed and adaptations made when advised by doctors.