Prince William and Kate Middleton have expressed their heartfelt gratitude for the successful conclusion of this year's Trooping the Colour ceremony. In a post shared by the royal couple's official social media accounts, the Prince and Princess of Wales thanked "everyone involved in Trooping the Colour," the annual ceremony celebrating King Charles' birthday.

"Thank you to all involved in Trooping the Colour. I am always in awe of the work that goes into putting on such a wonderful afternoon of ceremonies," they captioned their post. In addition to expressing their gratitude, they also posted behind-the-scenes footage from this year's lavish festivities, including a video of Kate Middleton doting on her three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. In one snapshot, the Princess of Wales smiles at her children from inside a carriage. In another, Prince William stands stoically and regally on horseback during the royal formalities.

This year's "Trooping the Colors" was a special one, as it was Princess Kate's first public appearance in six months since she announced to the world that she had been diagnosed with cancer and was currently undergoing preventive chemotherapy.

"I look forward to attending the King's Birthday Parade this weekend with my family and hope to participate in several public appearances over the summer. I am learning how to be patient." I am taking it one day at a time, listening to my body and allowing myself the time I need to heal."

Despite her surprise appearance, Middleton is still not expected to return to official royal duties until the fall (at the earliest) and possibly not until 2025.

Indeed, according to royal historian Gareth Russell, speaking to Us Weekly, royal fans should not expect Princess Kate to return to official duties until she "feels ready to do so, not because she feels under pressure."

During the ceremony, Kensington Palace gave the public a behind-the-scenes look at Middleton and the royal family preparing for and enjoying the festivities.

"All set for The King's Birthday Parade!" the palace captioned the post, which at one point showed Kate Middleton standing behind her three children, playing with her daughter's long brown hair.

In another brief snippet, the Princess of Wales once again stands behind the well-dressed children as young Prince Louis waves his little royal hand. Princess Charlotte, on the other hand, had a serious, "don't mess with me" look on her face during the ceremony.

According to body language expert Judy James, Princess Charlotte's "protective" body language indicates that her only daughter is stepping in to offer support during Kate's cancer battle.

"Princess Charlotte appears to be acting as Kate's protector. The event strongly suggested that Charlotte was primarily a child protecting and supporting Kate." Sitting across from her mother, she performed the same body language rituals that Kate usually does, smiling over her shoulder at the crowd and waving enthusiastically. Like Kate, her smile was almost constant."