London [UK], February 8: Prince William thanked the British public for their kind messages about his wife Kate following her recent surgery and about his father King Charles after he was diagnosed with cancer as he returned to official duties.
As William took centre stage for the royals, his younger brother Prince Harry, who has become estranged from his family, was set to return to the United States after a flying visit to see their father.
The event was the heir to the throne's second official public appearance on Wednesday on his return to work having postponed all engagements to look after his three children after Kate, 42, underwent planned abdominal surgery on Jan. 16, and then spent two weeks in hospital recovering.
Since then, his father has undergone treatment at the same hospital for an enlarged prostate, before Buckingham Palace announced on Monday that subsequent tests on the 75-year-old monarch had revealed he had a form of cancer.
With the king postponing public duties to undergo out-patient treatment and Kate not expected to return to engagements until after Easter, the onus is on the remaining royals especially William and Charles' wife Queen Camilla, to provide the public face of the monarchy.
Royal author Robert Hardman said William had already taken on substantial state duties towards the end of Queen Elizabeth's reign when she was hampered by mobility issues.
On Tuesday, the king travelled with Camilla to Sandringham House, his home in eastern England, after a brief meeting of about 30 minutes with son Harry who had just flown in to see his father after the king told him he had cancer.
Harry, 39, has barely been on speaking terms with many of the Windsors following his criticism of the monarchy since stepping down from royal duties almost four years ago.
A royal source said there had been no plans for him to see his elder brother William during his visit to Britain. After only about 24 hours in Britain, Harry was seen at Heathrow Airport from where he was expected to fly home to California where he now lives with wife Meghan and their two children.
Despite the diagnosis, Charles is planning to continue with much of his private work as monarch and dealing with state papers. He was due to speak with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak by phone on Wednesday, Sunak's spokesman said.
Buckingham Palace has not given any details of the condition other than to say it was not prostate cancer, but said the king was remaining "wholly positive" and looking forward to returning to public duty as soon as possible.
Source: Fijian Broadcasting Cooperation
