London — Prince William made his first public appearance Thursday since his wife Catherine, the Princess of Wales, shared her cancer diagnosis last month. Kate, as she's usually known, is undergoing treatment for the unspecified cancer, and William remained out of public view for several weeks to support his wife, but Thursday saw him return to royal business with a visit to food charity.
William met some of the people behind the non-profit group Surplus to Supper, which delivers food that would otherwise have been discarded by stores to the disadvantaged.
Last week, the Prince of Wales was spotted at a private social event, cheering from the stands with his eldest son, Prince George, at an Aston Villa soccer game.
Kate's announcement in a March video that she'd begun a course of "preventative chemotherapy" sparked an outpouring of sympathy from around the world. In Britain, polls show the princess has become the most popular member of the royal family. Her last public appearance was on Christmas Day, when she attended a church service with her family.
The release of the video came after widespread speculation online about Kate's well-being, with some unfounded claims suggesting she was facing challenges in her marriage. The spread of conspiracy theories was fueled, in part, by a doctored photo released by Kensington Palace and falsely attributed to Kate on Mother's Day in Britain.
King Charles III, who is also undergoing treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer, greeted well-wishers outside a church on Easter Sunday.
"Keep going strong," remarked a man in the crowd, "never give in."
Despite this, Kate has emphasized that she will only resume her royal duties when she feels prepared.
"We ask for your understanding that as a family, we now require some time, space, and privacy as I undergo my treatment," she stated in the video. "At present, my focus is on achieving a full recovery."
