William Cruises back to work
As the King and Catherine recover, the Prince of Wales gets back to business, with co-pilot Tom Cruise
It’s a strange and stressful time for the Royal Family, but Prince William got back to work this week, as Catherine recovers from her abdominal surgery and the King convalesces in Sandringham after his first treatment for cancer, on Monday. It is reported he will receive further treatment this week.
William probably feels he can use all the help he can get right now, so who better to step up to help, than royal super-fan himself, Tom Cruise. “Fancy seeing you here, Tom Cruise!” the Prince and Princess of Wales posted on X, as the Top Gun star attended a London Air Ambulance fundraiser on Wednesday. The actor is a friend of the royals – he co-hosted the Platinum Jubilee celebration show, A Gallop Through History, in May 2022 and even had tea with the late Queen.
William gave a speech, during which he said, “I’d like to take this opportunity to say thank you also for the kind messages of support for Catherine and my father, especially in recent days. It means a great deal to us all.” He then joked the past few weeks had had rather a medical focus, so he “thought I’d come to an Air Ambulance function to get away from it all,” which raised far less of a laugh than The Royal List thought it deserved. Earlier that day, he took part in investitures at Windsor Castle.
On Saturday evening, Charles spoke for the first time about his cancer diagnosis, in a letter released from Sandringham. It begins: “I would like to express my most heartfelt thanks for the many messages of support and good wishes I have received in recent days. As all those who have been affected by cancer will know, such kind thoughts are the greatest comfort and encouragement.” The King also reveals he is “heartened” to hear his experience is inspiring others to get checked, and praises “all those organisations which support cancer patients and their families”. Read the message in full here.
While further details of the King’s cancer diagnosis and treatment are not being revealed, Buckingham Palace says, “His Majesty is receiving expert care and looks forward to returning to full public duty as soon as possible.” Palace spokespeople confirmed the King is continuing to receive the Red Boxes of official documents while he receives treatment and further information about when he will return to public life will be revealed as his treatment progresses. They asked media outlets and commentators to refrain from speculation on the King’s diagnosis, which we are adhering to, even if some of the wilder sides of social media continue to come up with way-out theories. We wish the King a speedy recovery.
Harry flies in
While William hung out with Maverick, the other maverick of the Royal Family flew in, as Prince Harry jetted over to the UK to see his father. Harry got straight on a plane on Monday, after his father shared his cancer diagnosis with his family.
However, it was a long journey, for a short meeting, as Harry arrived at Clarence House on Tuesday at 2.45pm and Charles and Camilla flew to Sandringham in a helicopter around an hour later. Harry returned to L.A. on Wednesday. It is not thought he met with William, while he was in the UK.
On Thursday, Harry made a surprise appearance at the NFL awards ceremony in Las Vegas, where he was in good spirits, making a jokey speech.
Camilla’s commitment
She’s been holding the fort while her husband undergoes treatment and Camilla proved the Queen she really is, once again, by demonstrating her commitment to her work, this week. After her helicopter was grounded because of weather, the Queen took a six-hour road trip from Sandringham to Salisbury Cathedral, where she was celebrating local charities.
Once there, she told a well-wisher the King was doing well. “He is doing extremely well under the circumstances. He is very touched by all of the letters and messages the public have been sending from everywhere. That’s very cheering,” she said.
According to The Telegraph, the Queen did not want to let down the event organisers, or the King, because she had assured him she would continue with her commitments.
Anne wears the Queen’s coat
Truly, could we love Princess Anne any more than we do? We know we say this a lot, but every week she shows us what a class act she is. This week, she visited G.H.Hurt & Son in Nottingham, in her role as President of the UK Fashion and Textiles Association. This British textile company has ties to the Royal Family – their baby shawls have wrapped many newborns, including George, Charlotte and Louis.
Anne wore one of the late Queen’s coats, a purple jacket her mum wore in Scotland in 2010 and we can just imagine her declaring it, “a perfectly good coat,” as she took it home. It’s also a lovely tribute.
Where to send cards
Should you wish to send a get well card to the King, or Princess of Wales, then here’s how. Correspondence to Charles, should be sent to:
His Majesty The King
Buckingham Palace
London SW1A 1AA
And to Catherine:
The Princess of Wales
Kensington Palace
London W8 4PU