Kate 'will work from bed as she recovers from her operation': Palace insiders say Princess of Wales' 'unwavering commitment' will spur her on, but insist it's 'family first, day job second' – as William is claimed will NOT sever ties with William Church of England
The Princess of Wales's “unwavering commitment” to the nation will see her continue her royal work from bed as she recovers from major surgery.
Kate, 42, is said to be 'doing well' after going under the knife for her abdominal surgery at the London Clinic near Regent's Park this week.
She is expected to spend another week in hospital before being transferred to Adelaide Cottage in Windsor to regain her strength after the medical procedure.
Palace insiders say the recovering royal is keen to return to work “as soon as possible” but is now juggling caring for her three children with husband Prince William, 42.
A royal source said Kate and William are currently putting “family first, day job second” as they try to maintain a sense of “normality” for Princes George, 10, and Louis, five, and their eight year old. sister, Princess Charlotte.
'The children are always at the center of their universe. It will remain that way. They want to ensure that they can live as normally as possible in the future,” says a source The times.
The news comes as palace officials tonight sought to dismiss speculation that Prince William would become the first Briton monarch in five centuries to sever official ties with the Church of England.
It is believed that the Princess of Wales will resume work in a reduced capacity once she is discharged from hospital. Nevertheless, the Welsh are said to be family-oriented
It has been revealed that Prince William will not try to change the status of the Church of England when he becomes king, despite being less religious than his father or grandmother
King Charles will undergo a 'corrective procedure' for an 'enlarged prostate' next week, meaning two key royal figures will be unfit for the foreseeable future
There was plenty of speculation in royal circles this week about whether or not the heir apparent would take the title of 'Supreme Governor' of the Church of England if he became king.
It is said that William greatly admires and respects the Church and enjoys attending services at important times of the year such as Christmas and Easter.
But he feels he is no different to the average Brit because he is not a regular admirer.
And that has led to speculation about whether he might consider not taking on the formal role that British monarchs have held since the time of Henry VIII.
The reigning monarch also serves as supreme governor of the Church of England. Although now largely a symbolic and ceremonial role, this position means that the monarch formally appoints high-ranking clerics.
Sources claimed to The Times that “the conversation never came up” about William cutting ties and giving up the role.
Kate has cleared her diary for the coming months and is not expected to resume her official duties until after Easter.
Meanwhile, William has indicated that he will be 'by his wife and children's side all the way', postponing all his upcoming engagements until Kate is back on her feet.
Kate's recovery comes as King Charles faces his own health problems, and his Royal Highness is due to make a hospital visit next week receiving treatment for an 'enlarged prostate'. Aides say the king's condition is “benign” and he will undergo corrective procedures.
The Princess of Wales, who recently launched a new campaign, will likely continue to work in a way that is consistent with her recovery
Queen Camilla, who was spotted on assignments in Aberdeen on Thursday, continues to work as her husband prepares for his procedure
Princess Anne, who was the second most active royal in terms of official duties last year, may be called upon even more in the coming weeks
The Princess of Wales is likely to continue working in a manner consistent with her recovery following her discharge from the private London clinic.
She recently launched a campaign to raise awareness about the importance of the first five years of a child's life called Shaping Us.
Although she will not be taking on any official assignments and her schedule will be cleared, it is likely that she will continue to show interest in her campaigns.
“Her passion for the early years is clear, there will be a huge continuation of that campaign and she will be keen to continue that conversation with the nation as soon as possible,” an aide told The Times.
Appointments with the Princess of Wales's 30 charities and patronages are being cancelled, rescheduled or postponed while she recovers.
An official visit to Italy, planned for March, has also been postponed.
William has now started to focus on family while Catherine is in hospital, with Wales' approach described as '100 per cent family first, day job second'.
It is believed William now handles both the drop-off and collection of his three children from school.
Police outside the London Clinic, the private clinic where the Princess of Wales is currently recovering from her operation
Prince William has visited his wife in hospital and is now expected to do both the delivery and collection of their three children
With both King Charles and Wales out of action for the foreseeable future, it is likely that other members of the royal family will have to do their bit.
The temporary loss of the King and Wales is likely to cause problems in the royal engagement calendar.
The Princess of Wales undertook 134 official engagements last year, while William took on 179. It is possible that the Duchess of Edinburgh and Princess Anne, who carried out 179 and 410 engagements, will have to go a step further.
Queen Camilla may also try to fill in any gaps. She saw a new 'Safe Space' open at the Aberdeen Art Gallery on Thursday, an initiative to provide support to people living with domestic abuse.
The Queen said the King was “looking forward to getting back to work.”
Across the Atlantic, reports suggested that Prince Harry may have heard about his father's condition through the news before being formally informed by the palace.
The suggestion came the day before it was announced that Harry and his uncle, Prince Andrew, were being further sidelined within the royal family.
King Charles has introduced a provision to prevent the couple from acting as surrogates for him.
The Counselors of State Act 2022 added Charles the Princess Royal and the Duke of Edinburgh to the list of State Counselors. In a statement, it was confirmed that only working members would be called upon to act on behalf of Charles, meaning neither Harry nor Prince Andrew would be able to do so.