What does King Charles’ cancer diagnosis mean for Prince William?

Less than two weeks after King Charles III was admitted to a London hospital to be treated for an enlarged prostate, Buckingham Palace revealed that tests had revealed “a form of cancer”.

As doctors “advised Charles to postpone his public duties”, many expected other members of the royal family to step forward.

What does this news mean for Charles’ two sons, William and Harry?

Will any of the king’s “public duties” fall to Prince William?

In theory, any of the few working royals could be called upon to attend events in King Charles’ place and take on other duties while he receives treatment.

Queen Camilla, Princess Anne and Sofia, Duchess of Edinburgh are expected to absorb some.

But many of Carlos’ duties should fall to his son Guillermo, the Prince of Waleswho is the heir to the throne.

The prince had recently decided that he would take a break from his public duties while his wife Catherine was hospitalized for a “planned abdominal operation”.

(To allow for her recovery, Catherine would not undertake any public activities until after Easter, the royal family said at the time.)

“With the Princess of Wales undergoing abdominal surgery and out of the public eye, I think the spotlight will turn to Prince William,” said Elizabeth Holmes, a journalist who has written extensively about the royals.

Holmes added that last week the queen consort had “public engagements every day, which is a lot.”

How will Guillermo’s daily life change during this period?

Guillermo’s life had already been turned upside down by his wife’s hospitalization, but in the coming weeks he will probably be asked to add events and ceremonies from his father’s calendar to his agenda.

“The Prince of Wales is currently taking time to support his wife, the Princess of Wales, as she recovers from abdominal surgery at their home in Windsor,” Lee Thompson, secretary of state affairs, said in an email Tuesday. communications from William and Kate.

“Although the prince has been working in private, he will begin his public duties tomorrow.”

Lee added that while Charles will receive treatment, William “will be able to carry out some duties on behalf of the king, in addition to his busy schedule.”

Will his father’s diagnosis bring Prince Harry back into the fold?

Since Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, announced their intention to “retire” from their roles as senior members of the royal family in January 2020, Harry has largely remained in California with his wife and two children little ones of the couple.

At least some of that time was spent on a lush estate in Montecito, California, giving a revealing interview Oprah Winfrey in March 2021 and participating in a Netflix documentary series, “Harry and Meghan,” released the following year.

Carlos’ health problems are unlikely to significantly alter that agreement, Holmes said.

“I can’t imagine a scenario where Harry gets called out on this,” he said.

“Not maybe because I’m not willing to do it, but because that relationship is very fractured right now.”

Will Harry return to Britain?

Harry, who has had a strained relationship with both his father and brother over the past year, met the king on Tuesday.

It’s unclear how long Harry’s entire visit will last, but Holmes noted that reports indicated the meeting with the king was very brief.

“Harry flew in from Los Angeles, it’s a long way to have a meeting.” 45 minutes“said Holmes.

“I think you can read the tea leaves a little there.”

How will this affect Carlos’ relationship with Harry?

Some, like the British magazine The Spectator, argued that “now is the time for Harry to reconcile with King Charles.”

But the worrying evolution of health is not a thing magic solution for problematic relationships.

According to Cheryl Fisher, a professional clinical counselor who specializes in helping families facing cancer diagnoses, any family affected by cancer will be affected; the question is how.

“Each family member responds differently to the news,” she says.

“Although grief and anticipatory grief run in the family, they are also individual: Each person goes through their own process,” she explains.

“In the case of the royal family, we have the patriarch and his role, the expectations, and then the rest of the family, thinking: what if he can’t carry out his duties? What happens?”

Would Harry live with his father again?

Probably not.

“I don’t think that will happen,” Holmes said.

“Even if Harry wanted to, there has been no sign from the royal family that this is what they ask of him or that this is what they want from him.”

How bad is it?

Although Buckingham Palace has not provided specific data on the type or stage of the king’s cancer, his comments on the “benign” prostate problem that Charles was suffering from earlier this month may indicate that the cancer diagnosis is, on the contrary. More serious.

“The royal family considers health matters private, and there is a long history of health matters remaining private until after their deaths,” Holmes said.

“It is not a given that they will share this information with the public, so the fact that the palace has released a statement sharing this information is a big deal for the royal family.”

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