After a trying period of weeks where she’s been forced to shoulder much of the responsibility where the royals are concerned, Queen Camilla is taking a step away from her duties, according to reports.
Hello! say that Camilla will take a short, week-long hiatus from royal engagements, with her schedule clear of any and all duties that would otherwise keep her busy.
It’s reported that the Queen will return to work on March 11, when she is due to lead the Royal Family for the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey. Other senior royals will step in for her in the meantime, it is claimed.
It’s no secret that King Charles’s recent health woes have pushed him away from the usual royal duties undertaken by a reigning monarch. The King was diagnosed with an unspecified form of cancer early last month after undergoing treatment for an enlarged prostate, and is currently undergoing treatment.
Complicating matters further was the hospitalization and subsequent recovery period of Kate Middleton, meaning that Prince William has perhaps been unable to assist as much as he otherwise would have.
To fill the void Queen Camilla has taken on more royal duties, including acting as the figurehead for the royals at the memorial service for the late King Constantine of Greece last week.
We can only imagine then that the aforementioned pause from engagements will come as a welcome break for Camilla, who Hello! say is set to spend her ‘week off’ with King Charles and various other family members.
ALREWAS, ENGLAND – MAY 17: Prince Charles, Prince of Wales and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall attend the dedication service for the National Memorial to British Victims of Overseas Terrorism at the National Memorial Arboretum on May 17, 2018 in Alrewas, England. (Photo by Paul Ellis – WPA Pool/Getty Images)
As for Charles, it’s been well documented how the King has been splitting his time between London and the royal estate of Sandringham in Norfolk, England. The monarch continues to undergo treatment, though the royals have not revealed what type of cancer he is suffering from, nor what stage it is at.
During a meeting with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunka, King Charles admitted to having been reduced to tears by the messages of support he’s received from the public since his diagnosis. As for Charles’s recovery, the general message put forth by the royals is that he is doing well and remaining positive.
LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 14: King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort leave Westminster Hall after the ceremonial procession of the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall on September 14, 2022 in London, United Kingdom. Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin is taken in procession on a Gun Carriage of The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall where she will lay in state until the early morning of her funeral. Queen Elizabeth II died at Balmoral Castle in Scotland on September 8, 2022, and is succeeded by her eldest son, King Charles III. (Photo by Frank Augstein – WPA Pool/Getty Images)
Indeed, the same is being said of Kate Middleton, who was hospitalized in late January for a reported planned abdominal procedure.
The future Queen has been recovering at home since her 13-day stay at the London Clinic and isn’t expected to return to action until after Easter. The lack of updates from the Palace has left many royal fans expressing worry over Kate’s health, though last week it was reiterated that there is no cause for alarm.
“We were very clear from the outset that the Princess of Wales was out until after Easter and Kensington Palace would only be providing updates when something was significant,” Kensington Palace said.
Here’s to wishing King Charles and Queen Camilla a pleasant few days in one another’s company.