Despite fighting cancer, King Charles isn't slowing down anytime soon. The 76-year-old monarch is carrying on with a "business as usual" attitude when it comes to his royal duties, and as Queen Camilla told reporters last week (via the Sun), work "keeps him going." After finishing their state visit to Italy on April 10, The King and Queen returned to the U.K., but on Friday, April 11, the Duchess of Edinburgh stood in for her brother-in-law at a special event.
Duchess Sophie—who is married to Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip's youngest son, Prince Edward—represented The King during the Sovereign’s Parade at Sandhurst Royal Military Academy, where both Prince Harry and Prince William went through their military training.
Sandhurst graduate Prince William has stepped in for his father—and previously, for Queen Elizabeth—on several occasions through the years at the thrice-annual event. But this time, the Duchess of Edinburgh inspected troops ahead of the parade, filling in for The King.
Although Sophie has attended the event on two prior occasions, it's more common for William to step in for his father. However, People noted that her presence this year might have been for a very special reason. The April 11 parade "featured the school’s first all-female Banner Party," marking a historic moment for the military school.
In terms of style, the Duchess of Edinburgh channeled Princess Kate in a periwinkle coat dress by Emilia Wickstead, adding a coordinating blue hat by Jane Taylor and pale blue Prada heels.
As for The King's schedule, Queen Camilla was asked by journalists if he had any intentions of scaling back his workload these days. Per the Sun, she replied, "No, I think he loves his work and it keeps him going. And I think it's wonderful, you know, if you've been ill and you are recovering, you're getting better and now he wants to do more and more and more."
However, she quipped that was also "the problem" when it came to her workaholic husband.
