It's a 'scary time' for Prince William 'facing his destiny'

Prince William, Prince of Wales listens to members of staff as he visits Depaul UK in January 2023 — (Image credit: Photo by Kirsty Wigglesworth - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

It’s said to be a "scary time" for Prince William as he could take on more responsibilities following King Charles's diagnosis.

Just a week after His Majesty left The London Clinic following a procedure for a benign prostate condition Buckingham Palace shared that he has been diagnosed with cancer after a "separate issue" had been noted. King Charles has postponed his public-facing duties and as he’s first in the royal line of succession, it’s thought Prince William might end up taking on additional responsibilities to support his father.

Whether or not he does, former royal correspondent Jennie Bond believes that King Charles’s illness may be forcing Prince William to "contemplate" his destiny as future King. Speaking to OK! she expressed her belief that Prince William might be finding the days following his father’s diagnosis a particularly "scary time".

Prince William, Prince of Wales at Mosaic Clubhouse in Lambeth on June 26, 2023

"I think he'll be feeling very serious about his life," Jennie explained. "This is not a time in which he wanted to take on extra responsibilities, and it's not a time when he wanted, really, to contemplate the fact that one day in the very foreseeable future he is going to be a monarch."

The royal expert suggested that right now the Prince of Wales "just wants to be a hands-on dad and a very supportive husband" and that especially as he’s lost his mother Princess Diana, his father’s illness will have really affected him.

"He’ll feel somewhat besieged by his wife being ill and now his father having cancer - this is a scary time for him," she added. "He’s already lost his mother, and I think that gives you a vulnerability with any illness with a parent when you've already lost one, so I really feel for William in this."

Prince William and King Charles III attend the National Service of Thanksgiving and Dedication for King Charles III and Queen Camilla in Edinburgh 2023

Prince William hasn’t undertaken engagements for several weeks whilst Kate was in hospital for her planned abdominal surgery and when she first returned home to continue her recovery. The Princess is "unlikely" to resume her royal duties until after Easter, but Prince William resumed his on 7th February with an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle.

According to Jenny, the statement regarding King Charles’s diagnosis was "carefully" timed with the news that Prince William would be back carrying out engagements.

"The announcement was all very carefully choreographed that William was taking up duties again - that was deliberately put out before the cancer diagnosis," the expert claimed. "The palace has carefully managed the news as much as they can, but nevertheless, it's incredibly dramatic."

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Both personally and in terms of his royal responsibilities, this is undoubtedly a very challenging time for Prince William. It’s previously been reported that King Charles and the late Queen Elizabeth allegedly gave Prince William and Kate permission to focus on their family first whilst Prince George, Charlotte and Louis were young.

In recent years, though, the Prince of Wales has been observed stepping up more than ever. Now he will perhaps be even busier and after the investiture ceremony earlier on in the day, Prince William is set to attend London's Air Ambulance Charity's fundraising gala on 7th February.

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Emma is a Royal Editor with nine years of experience in publishing. She specialises in writing about the British Royal Family, covering everything from protocol to outfits. Alongside putting her extensive royal knowledge to good use, Emma knows all there is to know about the latest TV shows on the BBC, ITV and more. When she’s not writing about the latest royal outing or unmissable show to add to your to-watch list, Emma enjoys cooking, long walks and watching yet more crime dramas!