A royal surprise? King Charles has turned to Prince Edward and Sophie for official royal duties. While the monarch is undergoing treatment for his cancer, his younger brother and his wife are attending events for his honor.
Amid King Charles’ cancer treatment and Prince William taking a step back away from his royal duties as his wife Kate Middleton also undergoes cancer treatment, The Telegraph reported that Prince Edward Royal Family’s new “leading man.” The Duke of Edinburgh and his wife Sophie attended an event marked the 120th anniversary of the Entente Cordiale where dignitaries like the French Ambassador to the U.K. Hélène Duchêne attended. The event supposedly marks a major shift in the royals’ roles to be more dependent on Edward for more prominent occassions. His last public appearance was at the Royals’ Easter celebration.
According to The Independent, Camilla appeared in additional 13 royal engagements after the King was diagnosed, but has also taken time off to take care of her husband. Prince Edward undertook 297 royal engagements in 2023, the most taken by a royal family member right behind his brother Charles and sister Anne, Princess Royal.
In January 2024, King Charles was admitted to a hospital for a routine procedure to treat an enlarged prostate. But less than two weeks after the operation, Buckingham Palace announced that doctors discovered the monarch had “a form of cancer” following additional tests. “His Majesty has today commenced a schedule of regular treatments, during which time he has been advised by doctors to postpone public-facing duties,” the palace shared in a statement on February 5, 2024. “Throughout this period, His Majesty will continue to undertake State business and official paperwork as usual.”
The statement continued: “The King is grateful to his medical team for their swift intervention, which was made possible thanks to his recent hospital procedure. He remains wholly positive about his treatment and looks forward to returning to full public duty as soon as possible. His Majesty has chosen to share his diagnosis to prevent speculation and in the hope it may assist public understanding for all those around the world who are affected by cancer.”
