William returns to fill royal void as King Charles faces cancer treatment

LONDON - With his father King Charles III undergoing treatment for cancer and his wife recovering from surgery, Britain's Prince William will return to royal frontline duties on Wednesday.

The king's shock cancer diagnosis, announced on Monday, and Catherine's abdominal operation have left William shouldering a heavy royal burden.

William postponed public engagements to care for his wife, the Princess of Wales, and their three children after she was admitted to hospital on January 16.

But he will be back at work on Wednesday, handing out honours awarded to citizens for good deeds at Windsor Castle before attending the London Air Ambulance annual fundraising gala in central London.

He is also expected to take on some of his father's duties while he undergoes treatment, with fellow senior royals Princess Anne and Charles's wife Queen Camilla helping to share the load. 

Buckingham Palace has not specified the type of cancer afflicting the 75-year-old monarch, although it is understood not to be prostate cancer.

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said it had been "caught early".

The diagnosis comes just 17 months into his reign following the death of his 96-year-old mother, Queen Elizabeth II, on 8 September 2022.

The King won plaudits for being open about his condition, a break from tradition for a family that is renowned for being extremely discrete about personal health issues.