Prince William thanks public for messages to King Charles and Kate, says they mean ‘a great deal’

By DANICA KIRKA
Associated Press

LONDON (AP) — Prince William has returned to royal duties for the first time since his father King Charles III announced his cancer diagnosis and his wife, Kate, was hospitalized for abdominal surgery. William performed an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle on Wednesday before attending a gala fundraising dinner for London’s Air Ambulance Charity. The 41-year-old prince thanked the public for their messages of support for Charles and Kate, saying they “meant a great deal to us all.” William had temporarily retreated from public-facing duties to help care for his wife and their children following his wife’s operation. But the king is stepping back from his task of being among his subjects to focus on getting better. And William’s presence is needed more than ever.