Princess Kate absent at Royal Ascot amid cancer treatment: What she's said to expect

Most of the royal family stepped out Wednesday for day two of Royal Ascot, except for Princess Kate who's continuing to undergo cancer treatment.

The horse-racing event saw Prince William, Queen Camilla, Prince Edward and Princess Beatrice as well as Princess Kate's parents Michael and Carole Middleton in attendance. According to People and Newsweek, it marked the first time Kate's parents stepped out for a public event since their daughter announced her cancer diagnosis in March.

Kate's absence at Royal Ascot may have come as a disappointment to avid royal watchers, who saw her step out Saturday in a white Jenny Packham dress and wide-brimmed Philip Treacy hat for Trooping the Colour, a ceremonial event commemorating the King's birthday.

Here's what we know about Princess Kate's health and what she's told the public to expect when it comes to her attending events while undergoing chemotherapy.

Why Princess Kate wasn't at Royal Ascot

Though neither Kate nor the palace have released an official statement yet about why the Princess of Wales didn't attend Royal Ascot specifically, her absence shouldn't be much of a surprise. The Princess of Wales released a lengthy statement on her joint Instagram account with her husband Prince William on Friday discussing the toll chemotherapy has taken on her and her fluctuating levels of energy.

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"I am making good progress, but as anyone going through chemotherapy will know, there are good days and bad days," reads the post's caption, along with a photo of Kate, standing under a tree with her arms crossed. "On those bad days you feel weak, tired and you have to give in to your body resting. But on the good days, when you feel stronger, you want to make the most of feeling well."

Kate noted in the post she would attend Saturday's Trooping the Colour ceremony and that she hopes to join "a few public engagements over the summer" but that she's "not out of the woods yet."

"I am learning how to be patient, especially with uncertainty," she continued. "Taking each day as it comes, listening to my body, and allowing myself to take this much needed time to heal."

More:Princess Kate makes public return for King Charles III's birthday amid cancer treatments

Princess Kate attends Trooping the Colour amid chemotherapy

After five months away from public life amid her cancer diagnosis, Princess Kate rode in a carriage with her three children for Trooping the Colour, a ceremonial celebration and military parade commemorating the reigning British monarch's birthday, although King Charles III's birthdate falls on Nov. 14.

Princess Kate turns headsin Jenny Packham dress amid return for Trooping the Colour event

Kate, who turned heads in a chic white fitted dress with an oversized white and black ribbon, her hair swept up, with a matching hat, watched the ceremony from a window overlooking the parade ground. She accessorized with white heels, pearl earrings and a brooch, and a structured black clutch. She shared moments from the event with her three children: Prince George, 10; Princess Charlotte, 9; and Prince Louis, 6.

When she returned to the carriage at the end, the princess smiled and waved at the welcoming crowds.

Contributing: Jay Stahl, USA TODAY