Kensington Palace have released a statement on the second day of Royal Ascot after it was announced at the last minute that Princess Kate would not be attending.
The Princess of Wales’s withdrawal came despite being listed to appear in the Royal Procession alongside the Prince William.
The Instagram account for the royal couple shared a shared a roundup post with fans after the unfortunate absence.
Kensington Palace has issued a statement on Royal Ascot after Princess Kate pulled out at the last minute
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However, Kensington Palace announced her withdrawal before 12.30pm, less than two hours before the 2pm procession was due to begin.
GB News understands the Princess of Wales is disappointed not to attend the renowned social and sporting event.
The post on social media read: “A brilliant afternoon of racing at Royal Ascot. Congratulations to William Buick, the Gosdens and the impressive Ombudsman on winning The Prince of Wales’s Stakes!”
It was accompanied with a carousel of photos showing the Prince of Wales attending the occasion solo.
William attended the races solo after the sudden change of plans
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William could also be seen awarding a trophy to jockey William Buick, mentioned in the caption, after his triumph in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes.
On Wednesday afternoon, Prince William joined King Charles, Queen Camilla and Prince Saud bin Khalid Al-Saud in the first carriage for the Royal Procession.
The Princess had been due to travel in the second carriage with William, but the arrangements were swiftly revised to reflect her absence from the day's races.
The Princess had made two significant public appearances in recent days, attending Trooping the Colour on Saturday and the Order of the Garter service at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle on Monday.
The post gave a roundup of day two as Ascot, including William awarding the winner of The Prince of Wales Stakes
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Even without his wife present, William was supported by other royals and close allies during the proceedings.
William’s longtime friend and godfather of Princess Charlotte, Thomas van Staubenzee, were there alongside the Prince.
Van Straubenzee attended prep school with William, joining him at Ludgrove School in Berkshire, and has been a close pal since.
He is a partner and Global Head of Private Office of international real estate consultancy.
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Van Straubenzee was pictured alongside William as they watched the races from the balcony, cheering on the various events as they enjoyed a drink.
Wednesday’s Royal Procession marks a particularly historic occasion, celebrating its 200th anniversary since beginning in 1825 during George IV's reign when the monarch was accompanied by the Duke of Wellington.
The King and Queen attended yesterday's opening day of the races, welcoming guests to the royal box including Charles's nephew Peter Phillips and his partner Harriet Sperling, an NHS nurse.
The five-day meet remains one of the most significant events in the royal calendar, making Kate's absence from today's proceedings.
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