Between King Charles III‘s and Kate Middleton’s cancer diagnoses, the royal family has had quite a tumultuous 2024. So when the news came down that the king and Prince William had canceled their public events for the week, some feared the worst.
Thankfully, the royals’ sudden respite from the public eye has nothing to do with the health of the king, his daughter-in-law, nor anyone else in the family, for that matter. King Charles and Prince William are on hiatus following Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s call for a surprise general election, which is scheduled to take place on July 4. In light of this news, the working royals abruptly canceled their appearances, People reports. The outlet adds that the pair may not resume their public-facing duties until after the election—which is nearly six weeks away.
Per a statement from Buckingham Palace, which was published on May 22, the royal family will postpone any and all engagements “which may appear to divert attention or distract from the election campaign.” This is standard practice for the royal family, which is an apolitical entity by choice.
King Charles just returned to public-facing duties only on April 30, following his treatment for cancer. Prince William, meanwhile, continued his work in the absence of both his father and his wife, who revealed her own cancer diagnosis on March 22 after several weeks out of the spotlight because of a planned abdominal surgery in early January.
In her video message to the world, Middleton, 42, called the diagnosis “a huge shock,” adding, “William and I have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family.”
“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. It means so much to us both.”
