British heir Prince William has returned to public duties today, Wednesday, following his wife Kate's surgery and the announcement of his father King Charles's cancer diagnosis. William is expected to take on a more prominent role in light of his father's absence. He postponed all of his scheduled engagements to care for their three children after Kate (42 years old) underwent abdominal surgery on January 16.
Since that date, his father has been receiving treatment for prostate enlargement at the same hospital where Kate had her surgery. Buckingham Palace announced on Monday that subsequent tests following King Charles's (75 years old) hospital admission revealed he is suffering from a form of cancer.
With the King postponing his public duties while undergoing treatment abroad, and Kate expected to return to engagements only after Easter, the burden will fall on the remaining members of the royal family, particularly William and Queen Camilla, King Charles's wife, to represent the royal family to the public.
Royal affairs commentator Robert Hardman noted that William has already undertaken significant official duties during the period leading up to the end of Queen Elizabeth's reign when mobility issues hindered her ability to fulfill her responsibilities. Hardman told Reuters, "On many occasions, he will have to take on the duties, it will be somewhat akin to being the king in the same way that Prince Charles was when the Queen was in poor health."
