The Princess of Wales will not be returning to public duties for the Colonel’s Review after speculation she would be well enough to take part.

The ceremonial military event takes place on 8 June in London, the weekend before Trooping the Colour, and as colonel in chief of the Irish Guards, Kate would usually take the salute.

The news she will not be taking part this year comes as Buckingham Palace confirmed the King will participate in this year’s Trooping the Colour on 15 June.

The monarch returned to public duties last month after it was confirmed in February that he had been diagnosed with cancer.

Kate revealed in March that she also had cancer and was undergoing preventative chemotherapy.

The princess has not been taking part in public engagement since.

In February, the Ministry of Defence appeared to confirm she would attend the Colonel’s Review but subsequently had to remove the announcement on its website.

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Instead the salute will be taken by Lieutenant General James Bucknall.

The former commander of the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps has attended every King’s Birthday Parade since 2009 when he was appointed colonel of the Coldstream Guards, having served as a Coldstream Guards officer for more than 45 years.

King to attend Trooping the Colour

Due to his cancer diagnosis there were questions about whether the monarch would be able to take part in Trooping the Colour on horseback as he did for his first birthday parade as monarch last year.

But the palace has now announced that the King will conduct the review seated in an Ascot landau carriage with the Queen.

Attendance and participation of other members of the family will be confirmed nearer the time.

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