Prince William returns to royal duties
Fills in while his father has cancer treatments
LONDON — Prince William returned to royal duties Wednesday for the first time since his father, King Charles III, announced his cancer diagnosis and his wife, Kate, was hospitalized for abdominal surgery.
Speaking about his families’ health scares in public for the first time, the 41-year-old heir to the throne thanked the public for their “kind messages of support” at a charity gala dinner. Earlier in the day, he performed an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle.
“I’d like to take this opportunity to say thank you for the kind messages of support for Catherine and for my father, especially in recent days,” William told the gala dinner for London’s Air Ambulance Charity.
“It means a great deal to us all.”
“It’s fair to say the past few weeks have had a rather medical focus, so I thought I’d come to an air ambulance function to get away from it all,” he added jokingly.
The royal, who is a former air ambulance helicopter pilot, met fellow pilots and chatted with guests including Hollywood star Tom Cruise at the black-tie event.
William temporarily stepped away from public duties last month to help care for Kate and their three young children following her operation for an undisclosed condition. The Princess of Wales, formerly Kate Middleton, isn’t expected to resume public duties until April.
Charles’ cancer diagnosis earlier this week is putting extra pressure on the royal family, with the king suspending his public appearances to focus on treatment and recovery. While receiving treatment for an unspecified form of cancer, Charles, 75, will continue with behind-thescenes work.
“His absence is putting a lot of pressure on the other members of the royal family, who are certainly up to it,” said Sally Bedell Smith, author of “Prince Charles: The Passions and Paradoxes of an Improbable Life.”