Prince William, Crown Prince of Britain, returned to his public duties on Wednesday, after his wife, Kate, underwent surgery, and the announcement that his father, King Charles of Britain, had been diagnosed with cancer, as William is expected to assume a more prominent role in light of his father’s absence.
Prince William postponed all his planned engagements to take care of his three children, after Kate (42 years old) underwent abdominal surgery on January 16.
Since the same date, his father has been undergoing treatment for prostate enlargement in the same hospital where Kate underwent surgery, before Buckingham Palace announced on Monday that the tests following the admission of King Charles (75 years old) to the hospital showed that he was suffering from a type of cancer.
With the King postponing his public duties while undergoing treatment abroad, and Kate not expected to return to engagements until after Easter, the burden will fall on the rest of the royal family, especially William and Queen Camilla, wife of King Charles, to represent the royal family before the public.
Royal affairs writer Robert Hardman said that William had already undertaken huge official tasks in the period preceding the end of Queen Elizabeth’s reign, when movement problems hindered her from performing her duties.
Hardman added to Reuters: “On many occasions, he will have to carry out tasks. He will be somewhat like the king of the country in the same way that Prince Charles was when the Queen was in poor health.”
