Prince William returns to royal duties amid King Charles’ cancer battle

Prince William has addressed King Charles’ cancer battle as he stepped back into the spotlight and posed beside a Hollywood A-lister. See photos, video.

Prince William has broken his silence about King Charles’ cancer diagnosis for the first time since the shock announcement by Buckingham Palace.

Speaking at a charity gala for the London Air Ambulance Service at Raffles London, Prince William told guests: “Thank you for being here. And thank you to all those whose hard work has made this evening possible.

“I’d like to take this opportunity to say thank you, also, for the kind messages of support for Catherine and for my father, especially in recent days.”

“It means a great deal to us all.”

Prince William delivers a speech during the London Air Ambulance Charity Gala Dinner. Picture: Getty Images

He jokingly told guests: “It’s fair to say the past few weeks have had a rather ‘medical’ focus.

“So I thought I’d come to an air ambulance function to get away from it all.”

Actor Tom Cruise posed alongside the royal in black tie and Prince William gave a shout out to him during his speech.

Prince William joked that he wasn’t wearing his Top Gun slippers as he posed with Tom Cruise at the London Air Ambulance Charity Gala Dinner. Picture: AFP

Prince William talks with Tom Cruise and music group Sister Sledge at the event. Picture: Getty Images

The royal shares a joke with A-lister Tom Cruise. Picture: Getty Images

The royal chats with Air Ambulance pilots, doctors and paramedics. Picture: Getty Images

Prince William, who served as a rescue pilot saving lives for seven years, is helping a £15 million ($29 million) fundraising effort to buy new choppers for the London Air Ambulance.

During his speech, he spoke of the vital work being done by air ambulance teams.

He said: “We gather tonight to help as many people as possible benefit from top class care in the silhouette of London Air Ambulance’s flying lifelines.

“As a former pilot for East Anglia Air Ambulance, I know just how vital the work of air ambulance teams across the country is, and the truly lifesaving difference it can make to deliver urgent medical care wherever injury strikes can make.

“Here in London, the current aircraft have served magnificently. But our capital city needs a new fleet. And we are Up Against Time.

“The clue really is in the appeal’s name. By September, we need the two new red birds —- decked with the latest kit such as night vision — in our skies.”

Prince William arrives at the Raffles London hotel, which is housed in the Edwardian Old War Office. Picture: Getty Images

The royal then thanked A-lister Cruise, who famously flies his own planes and helicopters, for his support.

“I should also take this opportunity to give a mention to my, our, fellow pilot, Tom Cruise,” Prince William said.

“Tom, huge thanks for supporting us tonight. And Tom, if you wouldn’t mind not borrowing either of the new helicopters for the next Mission Impossible, it would be appreciated.

“We have all seen on our screens that — how can I put it — you seem to have a different take on ‘normal wear and tear’ to the rest of us. It’s not the kind that buffs out.”

The Prince of Wales looked dapper in a black velvet jacket. Picture: Getty Images

Prince William waves as he arrives for London’s Air Ambulance Charity Gala Dinner. Picture: Getty Images

Earlier, reality TV star Mark Francis-Vandeli, of Made in Chelsea fame, said to Prince William: “This is Tom Cruise, needs no introduction.”

They spent several seconds warmly chatting and shook hands and Cruise gently touched the Prince’s arm, The Sun reports.

Prince William, who wore Top Gun-themed slippers to the premiere of Maverick two years ago, looked down at his feet and turned to Cruise and said: “I haven’t got my Top Gun slippers on.”

The actor laughed in reply as Prince William headed into another room.

It is understood Cruise had specifically asked to attend the gala after hearing of the King’s cancer diagnosis.

He has formed close ties with the royals over the years and spoke of his fondness for Prince William at the Maverick premiere in 2022.

“We have a lot in common,” Cruise said at the time. “We both love England and we’re both aviators, we both love flying.”

Upon arriving at the event, Prince William thanked wellwishers.

“We really appreciate everyone’s kind messages. Thank you,” he said.

The Prince of Wales later met with helicopter crews, first responders, former patients and donors.

Co-host for the evening, presenter Tanya Bryer, told the audience as Prince William negotiated his way to his seat, that all their “best wishes” were being sent to His Majesty.

The audience applauded and there were cheers of “hear, hear” as William smiled and encouraged his table — including Cruise — to take their seats.

It comes hours after the heir resumed public engagements after his father’s shock cancer diagnosis by holding an investiture at Windsor Castle.

Prince William has returned to public life. Picture: Getty Images

Chief executive of London’s Air Ambulance Charity, Jonathan Jenkins, thanked the Prince for attending at a difficult time.

“I think I speak on behalf of everybody at the London Air Ambulance family, and everyone else in this room, that we send you at this particular time our love, our best wishes and our support to you and your family and, in particular His Majesty,” he said.

Singer Debbie Sledge said that she had told the Prince she was praying for the King.

“I hadn’t planned to and I haven’t met His Majesty or any of the royal family before but I felt so strongly that I should. They are good people,” she said. “My hearts go out to them all.”

The event was Prince William’s first engagement since he stepped away from royal duties for more than three weeks to care for Princess Catherine and their three children after she underwent abdominal surgery last month.

Prince William was seen smiling and joking as he handed out awards at the investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle.

Former England soccer star Ellen White said she sent her “best wishes” to the King when the Prince awarded her with an MBE.

Asked about her conversation with the Prince, she said: “I sent my best wishes to the King.

“I just think, you know, it must be a difficult time for the family.

“He was really lovely. It was a really nice conversation. I’ve met him a couple of times, he definitely puts you at ease.”

Prince William has been caring for his wife as she recovers from abdominal surgery. Picture: Supplied

Prince William has remained absent from the public eye since mid-January when Catherine was hospitalised for two weeks after abdominal surgery. She remains recuperating at Windsor.

After his two work commitments, the prince will spend the next week with his children who will be on school holidays.

A Palace spokesman said after his first appearance in public on Wednesday local time: “You won’t see him much after that.”

And the King has given the nod for his son to not return to front line duties full time after he told him his “priority” was his wife who is recovering from surgery.

Former England soccer star, Ellen White, said Prince William was “lovely” and that she had sent her “best wishes” to the King. Picture: Getty Images

With Buckingham Palace drawing up plans for the working royals – predominantly Queen Camilla, Prince William, and Princess Anne and Prince Edward – to share the bulk of the King’s public duties as he undergoes cancer treatment – he has told his courtiers no to rush the heir.

Kensington Palace is talking to Buckingham Palace about a schedule for Prince William’s full return to work.

Meanwhile, Prince Harry has left the UK, flying back to Los Angeles without seeing his older brother.

The Duke of Sussex and his father had a “brief” meeting before the King and Queen travelled by helicopter to Sandringham in Norfolk.

KING’S GREATEST ALLY STEPS UP AMID CRISIS

It came as hardworking royal Princess Anne stepped up to the challenge once again with a jam-packed schedule of duties after her older brother’s shock cancer diagnosis was made public.

As the world reeled from the news that King Charles is receiving treatment for cancer, the ever reliable Princess Royal — 17th in the line of succession — carried on with royal duties.

The 73-year-old, the monarch’s most fervent supporter, carried out an investiture at Windsor Castle on his behalf on Tuesday morning local time, before racing off to three more royal engagements.

Princess Anne is boosting her royal duties after her brother’s shock cancer diagnosis. Picture: Getty Images

With characteristic stoicism, Anne, a grandmother of five, presented awards to Australian-born media executive Elisabeth Murdoch, conductor Ivor Bolton, tenor Nicky Spence and wheelchair rugby league player James Simpson before dashing up to England’s Midlands to meet yet more members of the public.

Princess Anne is the hardest-working royal. Picture: Getty Images

On Tuesday afternoon, she visited Nottingham West Primary Care Network at Eastwood Primary Care Centre as patron of the Royal College of Occupational Therapists, as well as wool maker GH Hurt and Son.

She then planned to travel 205 kilometres back to the capital to present The Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering at the Science Museum.

The visits have been penned in the diary for months but the Palace has confirmed the busy Princes Royal will “squeeze in” more duties, as the King begins his “schedule of treatment”.

Princess Anne and King Charles have a close relationship. Picture: Getty Images

“The Princess Royal is taking on more, she’s already busy, but she’ll squeeze in what she can, plans are being revised," a Palace spokesman said.

The bulk of the King’s frontline work will be absorbed by the Prince of Wales and Queen Camilla.

Prince William’s wife is still recuperating at home after abdominal surgery and does not plan to resume work duties until Easter.

Last year Anne took the crown once again for the most hardworking royal, notching up a staggering 457 engagements, 32 more than the 425 carried out by her brother.

It is a credit to her uncompromising work ethic that Buckingham Palace has concluded that the King will not need to use counsellors of state – royals authorised to carry out his official duties when ill or abroad.

Historically, it comes down to the monarch’s spouse and the next four in the line of succession. They included Queen Camilla, Prince William, Prince Harry, Prince Andrew and Princess Beatrice.

After Prince Harry and Prince Andrew were removed from taking on royal duties, that extra responsibility has now fallen on Princess Anne and Prince Edward after the Palace confirmed the King has cancelled all public engagements whole he is in treatment.

The King apologised for the “inconvenience” this has caused as his eldest son Prince William was summonsed back early from looking after his wife and children at home to resume work on Wednesday.

As the working Windsors scramble to keep the wheels turning, Princess Anne, as she did with her late mother, will ride to the rescue and put her best foot forward.

Originally published as Prince William returns to royal duties amid King Charles’ cancer battle