FIRST PUBLIC STATEMENT FROM PRINCE WILLIAM ON HIS WIFE AND FATHER, KING CHARLES

LONDON, Feb 7 (Reuters) – Prince William expressed gratitude to the British public for their supportive messages regarding his wife Kate’s recent surgery and his father King Charles’ cancer diagnosis as he resumed official duties on Wednesday. While William took on a prominent role for the royal family, his younger brother Prince Harry was preparing to return to the United States after a brief visit to see their father.

“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. It means a great deal to us all,” said William, 41, the Prince of Wales.

“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 remarked at a gala dinner for London’s Air Ambulance Charity, attended by guests including Hollywood actor Tom Cruise.

This event marked William’s second official public appearance on Wednesday since he postponed all engagements to care for his three children after Kate, 42, underwent planned abdominal surgery on Jan. 16 and spent two weeks in hospital recovering.

Following Kate’s hospitalization, King Charles underwent treatment at the same facility for an enlarged prostate. Buckingham Palace announced on Monday that further tests revealed the 75-year-old monarch has a form of cancer.

With the king postponing public duties for out-patient treatment and Kate not expected to return to engagements until after Easter, the remaining royals, especially William and Queen Camilla, are stepping up to represent the monarchy publicly.

Britain’s Prince William, Prince of Wales, chats with U.S. actor Tom Cruise at the London Air Ambulance Charity Gala Dinner at The OWO in central London, February 7, 2024.

Royal author Robert Hardman noted that William had already been taking on significant state duties towards the end of Queen Elizabeth’s reign due to her mobility issues.

“In that regard, it’s not that different but obviously there’s the burden of expectation,” Hardman told Reuters. “On many occasions, he will have to stand in, much like Prince Charles did when the queen was infirm.”

On Tuesday, King Charles traveled with Camilla to Sandringham House, his residence in eastern England, following a brief 30-minute meeting with son Harry, who had flown in to see his father after learning of the cancer diagnosis.

Harry, 39, has had strained relations with many of the Windsors following his criticism of the monarchy since stepping down from royal duties nearly four years ago.

A royal source indicated there were no plans for Harry to meet with his elder brother William during his visit to Britain. After spending about 24 hours in the country, Harry was seen at Heathrow Airport, heading back to California where he lives with his wife Meghan and their two children.

Despite his diagnosis, King Charles plans to continue much of his private work as monarch and handling state matters. He was scheduled to speak with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak by phone on Wednesday, according to Sunak’s spokesman.

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Buckingham Palace has not provided specific details about the condition, other than confirming it is not prostate cancer, and said the king remains “wholly positive” and looks forward to resuming public duties as soon as possible.