Three months after the Princess of Wales’ shock news she was undergoing chemotherapy, royal watchers have a “hunch” she will make her return to public duties at Trooping the Colour next week.

Amid earlier reports the annual celebration of the King’s birthday parade would be cancelled with Kate, 42, and the King, 75, both undergoing treatment for cancer – or postponed with a looming election – Kensington Palace has issued an update.

It confirmed Kate, who is the honorary colonel of the Irish Guards,  would not be officially taking part in the final dress rehearsal on June 8, but did not rule out her attending the main event on June 15 (8pm AEST).

Royal expert and historian Dr Tessa Dunlop believes this means she could make an appearance on the balcony with the Prince of Wales, their children George, 10, Charlotte, nine, and Louis, six, and the King and Queen.

“Whether [Kate] will make a balcony appearance on the big day … remains the great unknown,” she told London’s Mirror.

“My hunch is she will give us a wave.

“This year that balcony cast will have even slimmer pickings if the Princess of Wales stays away.”

She said Trooping the Colour will show how much has changed for the royal family, adding “2024 is not royal service as usual. And nor should it be”.

“Our most glamorous royal player, like her father-in-law and King, has cancer and health must come first.

“But let’s not pretend Kate won’t be missed at Trooping the Colour. The King’s official birthday parade ties us back through time to centuries of pomp and ceremony.

“No one does that better than the Princess of Wales, who in the last decade has owned the stage as Britain’s most eye-catching stateswoman.”

Despite no official update, William recently said Kate was “doing well” in a rare public comment after being asked by fans during a visit to a community hospital on the Isles of Scilly off the coast of Cornwall.

The King and Queen, William and Kate with their three children on the balcony last year. Photo: AAP

D-Day and a society wedding in the diary

The update on Kate’s attendance comes as the King, and William, 41, postponed public engagements after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s decision last week to call a surprise general election.

Buckingham Palace said the royals would postpone outings “which may appear to divert attention or distract from the election campaign”.

Political campaigning aside, senior members of the royal family will join commemorations in the UK and France to mark 80 years since D-Day, which saw the launch of Operation Overlord and the beginning of the fight to liberate north-west Europe from German occupation.

The King, Queen and William will head to Portsmouth on June 5.

Members of the royal family will attend the Duke of Westminster’s “society wedding of the year” on June 7.

Billionaire businessman and the King’s godson, Hugh Grosvenor, is godfather to William and Harry’s first children, George and Archie.

He played a crucial role at the King’s coronation and attended both William’s wedding in 2011 and Harry’s to Meghan Markle in 2018.

Affectionately known as “Hughie”, who is marrying senior account manager Olivia Henson, life-long friend William will serve as usher at Chester Cathedral, and George will also play a role.

There is no mention of Kate attending.

“Reports differ as to why Prince Harry is not on the guest list: Some sources say the Prince turned down the invite after finding out that his older brother would act as usher, with others declaring that the Duke never sent an invite in the first place in order to avoid awkwardness,” reports Tatler.

The Horse Guards Parade rehearsal on May 30. Photo: Getty

Full speed ahead

Meanwhile, the British Army confirmed 1000 members of the British military have already begun rehearsals with the Major General’s Review on June 1 and the Colonel’s Review on June 8.

“[Kate] has climbed the ranks, and with her new honorary role as Colonel of the Irish Guards ordinarily, she would have taken the salute,” Dunlop said.

“But these are not ordinary times.”