Prince William is preparing to step out for his first official royal duty since his wife, Princess Kate Middleton, announced her cancer diagnosis.
The Prince of Wales will visit West London and the adjacent county of Surrey on Thursday, April 18, to highlight the work of community and environmental impact organizations in the area, Kensington Palace said in a statement to NBC News.
William, 41, will begin the day in Sunbury-on-Thames to see how a food distribution charity called Surplus to Supper delivers, sorts and repackages unused food to community groups. Soon after, he will visit a youth center in West London that receives regular deliveries of the surplus food and distributes the items to people in need.
According to People, William’s royal duties will also resume one day after his three children with Kate, 42 — Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 8, and Prince Louis, 5 — return to school for a new term.
In recent weeks, William has taken a step back from work commitments after his wife announced to the world that she has cancer.
“In January, I underwent major abdominal surgery in London, and at the time, it was thought that my condition was noncancerous,” Kate said in a video posted via social media on March 22. “The surgery was successful, however, tests after the operation found cancer had been present. My medical team therefore advised that I should undergo a course of preventative chemotherapy, and I’m now in the early stages of that treatment.”
The Princess of Wales asked for privacy as she expressed gratitude to her family for their support during a challenging time.
“I am well and getting stronger every day by focusing on the things that will help me heal in my mind, body and spirits,” she continued. “Having William by my side is a great source of comfort and reassurance too, as is the love, support and kindness that has been shown by so many of you.”
While William has put on a brave face since his wife’s announcement, a source previously told Us Weekly the father of three feels “helpless and scared” and has been asking other members of the family to fill in for him so he can be present at home.
Through the ups and downs, both William and Kate are trying to focus on the positive, such as the supportive messages they’ve received from royal watchers all around the world.
“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,” Kensington Palace said in a statement to Us on March 23. “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.”
