Prince William thanks messages of support for King Charles and Princess of Wales

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LONDON (AP) — Prince William returned to royal duties Wednesday for the first time since his father, King Charles III, announced his cancer diagnosis and his wife, Catherine, was hospitalized for abdominal surgery.

Speaking publicly for the first time about his family’s health problems, the 41-year-old heir to the throne thanked the “kind messages of support” at a charity gala dinner. Earlier in the day, he held an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for the kind messages of support for Catalina and my father, especially in recent days,” Guillermo said at the Air Ambulance Charity gala dinner in London. “It means a lot to all of us.”

“It’s fair to say the last few weeks have had a rather medical focus, so I thought I’d come to an Air Ambulance Charity gala to get away from it all,” he added jokingly.

The member of the royal family, who served as an air ambulance helicopter pilot like those managed by Air Ambulance, shared dinner with other pilots and chatted with guests, including Hollywood star Tom Cruise.

Guillermo temporarily stepped away from his public duties last month to help care for Catalina and their children after her operation for an undisclosed condition. The Princess of Wales, formerly known as Kate Middleton, is not expected to resume public duties until April.

Charles’ cancer diagnosis earlier this week has put additional pressure on the royal family, as the king suspended public appearances to focus on his treatment and recovery. While receiving treatment for an unspecified form of cancer, Carlos will continue to perform some of his duties, such as reviewing and signing state documents.

“His absence is putting a lot of pressure on the other members of the royal family, who are certainly up to the task,” said Sally Bedell Smith, author of “Prince Charles: The Passions and Paradoxes of an Improbable Life.” passions and paradoxes of an improbable life). “And having one of the biggest stars of the royal family, the Princess of Wales, recovering from surgery” magnifies those tensions.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s Downing Street office said he will hold his weekly audience with the king via telephone following the diagnosis and hopes to wish him a speedy recovery.

Charles’ illness comes at an awkward time for the House of Windsor.

The king, who ascended the throne just 17 months ago, has pledged to reduce the cost of the monarchy, in part by keeping in check the number of “acting royals” whose public duties are funded by taxpayers.

But with two of the most visible family members sick, it will be harder to keep up.

In addition to the widely publicized pomp and ceremony of royal processions and state visits, the Windsors attend hundreds of little-known events each year to recognize the achievements of the general population and commemorate local achievements such as the opening of libraries and centers community. Hundreds of charities appreciate visits from royals, as they give visibility and credibility to their good performance among potential donors.

The 75-year-old king was seen in public for the first time since his cancer diagnosis when he left his offices at Clarence House on Tuesday after a brief meeting with his youngest son, Prince Harry.

Harry arrived in London from California less than 24 hours after Buckingham Palace announced the king’s cancer diagnosis. The meeting has raised hopes that the pair can repair their troubled relationship, fractured after Harry publicly criticized the royal family for racist attitudes and complained about the way his biracial American wife, former actress Meghan Markle, was treated. by palace officials.

Harry and Meghan, once seen as royal family stars who could help the Windsors connect with a younger generation, stepped down from royal duties in 2020 and live in California.