Prince William, heir to the British throne, withdrew at the last moment from attending a ceremony commemorating his godfather, King Constantine of Greece, at Windsor Castle for “personal reasons,” the royals said Tuesday.
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William, 41, is on the front line as King Charles battles cancer and his wife Kate continues to recover after undergoing surgery in mid-January.
“The Prince of Wales has decided not to attend the memorial ceremony for the late King Constantine of Greece at Windsor Castle for personal reasons,” Kensington Palace said, citing the British agency PA.
The palace “did not want to give further details but said the Princess of Wales, who is recovering from abdominal surgery, remains doing well,” PA said.
Kate, 42, was hospitalized for abdominal surgery on January 16. The reasons for this procedure are still unknown, but according to British media it is not cancer.
The princess, who has not appeared in public since Christmas, is spending her recovery at the family home in Windsor, west London, not far from the castle where the ceremony is to take place. Kate, who is extremely popular in the UK, is not expected to return to action until Easter on March 31st.
William has reduced his schedule due to his wife's surgery and the care of their three young children, George, Charlotte and Louis. He was present at the Bafta ceremony, the British film awards, on February 18th.
King Constantine of Greece, who was William's godfather, died in January at the age of 82.
The Prince of Wales, who was due to give a reading at the ceremony at Windsor Castle, “called the Greek royal family (…) to inform them that he could not attend”.
Also Charles III. missing from this ceremony.