Well, that was a wild six-month ride… and for what reason? The Princess of Wales made a big appearance at Trooping the Colour today with her three children. This is the first credible “sighting” and first public event for Kate since Christmas Day 2023. Kate made the Trooping-attendance announcement yesterday, seemingly timed for the evening news in Britain on a Friday. This makes two Troopings in a row – the first two Troopings of King Charles’s reign – where the Wales family’s shenanigans have stolen the king’s thunder.

For her first event in nearly six months, Kate wore a new Jenny Packham dress in black-and-white. She looked… pretty much the same as ever? I would even argue that she looks better and “healthier” right now than she did last fall. She was able to wear high heels. She was able to film a behind-the-scenes video for Kensington Palace’s social media. She was able to ride in a bumpy carriage with her kids. She was able to pose on the balcony. So… yeah. I have no idea. I’ve had no idea what the hell has been going on for the past six months of frankenphotos, body-double sightings, back-and-forth about whether she’s ever coming back to work and a chronology that makes zero sense. Still, I’m genuinely glad that she seems to be well enough to do all of this.

Photos credit: Dutch Press Photo/Cover Images, PA Images/INSTARimages