Royals scramble to fill void as cancer diagnoses rule out King Charles, Princess of Wales
King Charles, 17 months into his reign when Buckingham Palace announced last month that he would be cancelling all public engagements, led tributes to his ‘beloved daughter-in-law’.
The royal family is scrambling to fill the void created by the absence of King Charles and the Princess of Wales due to their cancer diagnoses.
Kate’s bombshell video announcing that she had cancer appeared to have brought a halt to gossip and evoked expressions of sympathy from family near and far, world leaders, and public figures.
The princess had been the topic of fevered speculation over her condition, fuelled by silence from Buckingham Palace and a botched family snap that the princess later admitted editing.
Her candid disclosure in the highly personal video on Friday (Saturday AEDT) leaves the British monarchy in crisis with two of its most senior members simultaneously fighting serious illness.
King Charles, 17 months into his reign when Buckingham Palace announced last month that he would be cancelling all public engagements, led tributes to his “beloved daughter-in-law”.
The ailing 75-year-old monarch spoke of his pride in “her courage in speaking as she did”.
A statement from Buckingham Palace said the King “remained in the closest contact with his beloved daughter-in-law throughout the past weeks”.
Kate’s in-laws, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, said: “We wish health and healing for Kate and the family, and hope they are able to do so privately and in peace.”
The couple, who live in California, have had a strained relationship with the British royal family since leaving the UK, repeatedly lashing out at the institution.
Following other warm words from Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and the White House, British newspapers hailed the courage of the 42-year-old wife of Prince William, heir to the throne.
“Kate, you are not alone” read the front of The Sun. The tabloid said it was “hugely comforting” to hear the princess say she was getting stronger.
“Perhaps the world will now appreciate why so much secrecy surrounded her surgery in January.”
The Daily Mail tabloid denounced the “social media trolls who have been peddling disgusting conspiracy theories to explain her absence from public life”.
Kensington Palace released a statement late on Saturday, saying: “The Prince and Princess are both enormously touched by the kind messages from people here in the UK, across the Commonwealth and around the world in response to Her Royal Highness’ message.
“They are extremely moved by the public’s warmth and support and are grateful for the understanding of their request for privacy at this time.”
Kate’s brother, James Middleton, took to social media to share a photograph of the siblings as children. “Over the years, we have climbed many mountains together,” he wrote. “As a family, we will climb this one with you too.”
The princess’s news means the royal family is facing a staffing crisis, with the King also having to indefinitely cancel public-facing engagements, except audiences with the Prime Minister and ambassadors.
Queen Camilla has taken on more public duties. But the 76-year-old recently took a week off, with media reporting that the King had told her to go on holiday to prevent her from burning out.
William is having to deal with the fact that his wife and father are stricken with cancer, while having to look after his and Kate’s three young children, George, 10, Charlotte, 8, and Louis, 5. He is still carrying out public engagements but with a much reduced workload.
William also pulled out of attending a memorial service last month, a rare act for a senior royal, citing a “personal matter”. It now seems likely that was related to his wife’s health, highlighting the difficulty of planning engagements when close family members are being treated for cancer.
Recognised as being the hardest working family member, Princess Anne has recently undertaken 70 per cent of all royal engagements, raising concerns over the 73-year-old’s burden.
Prince Edward and wife Sophie have taken up some of the slack, with Sophie having 13 engagements planned in March-April, making her the second most active royal behind Anne.
The King’s remaining brother, Andrew, is also out of commission having stepped down from royal duties in 2019 after a disastrous television interview in which he defended his friendship with the US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. He was later stripped of his honorary military titles and royal patronages after settling a US civil claim for sexual assault without admitting liability.
Harry and his wife Meghan quit the royal frontline and gave up their royal duties when they moved to the US four years ago.
In her statement, Kate, admitted the diagnosis was a “huge shock” and asked for “time, space and privacy” as she completed chemotherapy.
In the video, recorded on Wednesday at Windsor, where the future queen and king live with their three young children, she insisted she was “well”.
She said it had taken them time to explain the situation to children “and to reassure them that I am going to be OK”.
Commentators commended the frank nature of the video, which showed the princess speaking directly to the camera while sitting on a garden bench.
Kensington Palace announced on January 17 that the princess faced up to two weeks in hospital and several months’ recuperation following abdominal surgery.
She was not expected to be ready to return to public duties until after Easter on March 31, a statement at the time said.
But Kate disclosed tests after the operation “found cancer had been present” and that she was now undergoing “preventative chemotherapy”.
Kensington Palace said she would return to official duties “when she is cleared to do so by her medical team”.
AFP
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