After a difficult year for the royal family due to sibling feuds and health issues, the King's birthday was a much-needed joyous occasion.
Despite the downpour, the sun eventually shone as the Princess of Wales bravely returned to public office. Saturday marked her first public appearance since revealing she was suffering from cancer in March this year.
Kate, 42, looked proud as she stood next to Charles on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, watching the Trooping the Color flypast.
She wore a dazzling white Jenny Packham dress with black detailing and a white square hat by Philip Treacey. She smiled and laughed with the Prince of Wales and their three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.
This year, Kate stood next to the King on the balcony, while William stood between his wife and children. This small change compared to last year, when William stood by the King's side, could be seen as Charles' touching gesture of support for his daughter-in-law, who is battling cancer this year.
Opposite the king stood Queen Camilla, dressed in a pastel green dress and cape for the occasion.
At her side were the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, Prince Edward and Sophie. Their 20-year-old daughter, Lady Louise, stood next to them and watched the flypast while they chatted with her aunt, Princess Anne.
The Princess Royal was also joined by her husband, Lieutenant General Timothy Lawrence. At the two farthest ends of the balcony stood Prince Edward, Duke of Kent and Duchess of Gloucester.
Not present on the balcony today was Prince Andrew, who stepped down from public life after the Jeffrey Epstein scandal broke.
Prince Edward's 16-year-old son, the Earl of Wessex, was also absent due to exam season.
The King's birthday celebrations began at 10 a.m. on Saturday. King Charles, who is recovering from a shock prostate cancer diagnosis, was unable to ride his horse as is traditional, opting instead to ride in a soft carriage again with his wife Queen Camilla.
Kate's appearance was in doubt until Friday afternoon's last-minute announcement that she would be attending the Trooping the Color event.
In a candid statement released on Friday, Kate explained her personal cancer journey, admitting she experiences “good days and bad days” and emphasizing that “I'm not out of the woods yet.”