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Queen Camilla taking time off from royal duties after filling in for Charles

Camilla is currently the most senior royal undertaking duties as her husband postpones all public engagements as he undergoes treatment for an unknown form of cancer

Athena Stavrou
Sunday 03 March 2024 09:04 EST
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King doing ‘extremely well’ under circumstances, says Queen Camilla

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Queen Camilla is taking a break from royal duties after she stepped up official visits following King Charles’ cancer diagnosis.

It appears that Camilla has no engagements in the royal diary this week and will not resume engagements until March 11, when she will lead the royal family for the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey.

Camilla, 76, is currently the most senior royal undertaking duties as her husband postpones all public-facing engagements as he undergoes treatment for an unknown form of cancer.

She has carried out 13 official engagements since Charles’ diagnosis including hosting Ukraine’s first lady and leading the royal family at a memorial service for King Constantine of Greece at St George’s Chapel, Windsor, last week.

Camilla is reportedly planning to spend a few days of private downtime with her family before jetting off on a private flight tomorrow, the Daily Mail reports.

Royal author Ingrid Seward told The Sun that Charles would have insisted his wife take a break, saying: “He will see that she is exhausted. Camilla has had the ultimate worry about her husband’s health, but she has also been the one who has had to step up to the busy schedule of Royal engagements as well as wanting to be there for him and Kate while they each have had their health issues.

“She certainly deserves some rest and relaxation.”

Nevertheless, a royal source told the Sunday Times that Camilla “has been buoyed by the public’s reaction” to her taking the reins in recent weeks, adding: “Although she was not expecting to find herself in the position of leading the family, the Queen is absolutely prepared to do whatever needs to be done for the institution.”

Prince William and Princess Anne reportedly set to undertake engagements as normal while Kate, the Princess of Wales, will return to royal engagements after Easter, Kensington Palace said in a new update.

It comes as concerns grow over her lack of public appearances following her abdominal surgery.

The princess was last seen attending a service at St Mary Magdalene Church in Norfolk ahead of the planned abdominal surgery on 16 January at an undisclosed location.

Since her return home to Windsor in late January, the princess has not been seen in public, which has led to growing concerns about her health.

Theories about her absence intensified online after Prince William bowed out of a planned appearance at a memorial service of his godfather, King Constantine of the Hellenes, who died in January last year. William attributed an unspecified “personal reason” for missing the service.

Addressing the rumours, a spokesperson with the Kensington Palace said: “We were very clear from the outset that the Princess of Wales was out until after Easter and Kensington Palace would only be providing updates when something was significant.”

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