As King Charles, at 76 and battling cancer, faces an uncertain future, there is an increasing sense that Prince William and Kate Middleton's ascension to the throne may come "sooner than they would have expected." In a new story in People, several royal experts opened up about how the Waleses are preparing for their eventual roles.
The King—who announced he was diagnosed with an unspecified form of cancer in February—has been keeping calm and carrying on, but royal author Sally Bedell Smith told the magazine that the monarch can't do it all.
“Although the King is carrying out his duties with typical determination, he has had to accept limitations during his cancer treatment," she said. "As a result William has been taking on more responsibilities, and he and Kate have been preparing for their future roles sooner than they would have expected.”
The Prince of Wales heading to Paris for Notre Dame's reopening ceremony as the U.K.'s representative—instead of his father—is a prime example of William taking on larger roles. Many saw William meeting with president elect Donald Trump as a sign of the royals passing on the baton, so to speak.
When it comes to the Prince and Princess of Wales, an inside source told People, “There’s a sense of calm before the storm. They are next in line for the biggest job of their lives, and of course, Kate’s health has taken priority, but it’s also allowed everyone to take a step back and figure out what’s important right now.”
Like The King, The Princess of Wales was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year, and making sure she has time to recover and focus on Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis has been key this year. An insider told People that William's eventual ascension to the throne "is something the institution is always mindful of."
However, the source noted that “given what the future holds, it would be very sensible to build back slowly and prioritize family time," since eventually, their duties will make it harder to have private time with their three kids.
In her September cancer update video, the Princess of Wales explained that she would take on duties when she felt up to it, stressing that her "path to healing and full recovery is long." Queen Elizabeth's former press secretary Alisa Anderson told People that arranging occasional surprise visits is a strategy that has worked well, since "an unexpected visit gives her flexibility."
“They can’t raise people’s expectations with lots of engagements only for her to face a setback, not feel well, and things are canceled,” Anderson added. As for The King, no one knows for sure how his health will play out, but for the moment, William and Kate are enjoying the quieter time they have been afforded.
