Prince of Wales expresses gratitude for kind messages during challenging times for the Royal Family

Prince William has publicly thanked the public for their overwhelming support following his father, King Charles’s cancer diagnosis and his wife, the Princess of Wales’s recent surgery. Speaking at a gala dinner for the London Air Ambulance Charity in central London, the Prince of Wales expressed his gratitude: “We really appreciate everyone’s kind messages. Thank you.”

He went on to thank the public for their “kind messages of support for Catherine and for my father, especially in recent days,” adding that the support means a great deal to his family. He also noted with a smile, “It’s fair to say the past few weeks have had a rather medical focus, so I thought I’d come to an air ambulance function to get away from it all.”

Before the dinner, Prince William, a former air ambulance pilot, mingled with guests, including actor Tom Cruise and members of the 1970s disco group Sister Sledge. During their conversation, William joked with Cruise about not wearing his “Top Gun slippers,” referring to a custom pair he wore at the Top Gun: Maverick premiere.

The evening also saw the audience sending their best wishes to the King. Presenter Tanya Bryer shared the audience’s support, and Jonathan Jenkins, CEO of the London Air Ambulance Charity, expressed the charity’s gratitude for William’s attendance, stating that they were “immensely privileged” to have him as patron, particularly because of his background as an air ambulance pilot.

This event marked one of Prince William’s first public engagements since returning to work on Wednesday, after taking time off to support his family during Kate’s abdominal surgery on January 16. He returned to public duties once Kate’s care and recovery were settled. William had also hosted an investiture ceremony earlier in the day, where he received “good wishes” for his father, who started treatment for cancer earlier this week.

Throughout the day, well-wishers expressed their support, including former England striker Ellen White, who passed on her “best wishes” for the King, acknowledging that it must be a difficult time for the royal family.

The King has postponed all public-facing duties but continues to work behind the scenes on state matters. Meanwhile, the Duke of Sussex, who was in London briefly to visit the King after receiving the news of his father’s cancer diagnosis, returned to California after a 24-hour visit. Despite speculation about a potential reconciliation, Prince Harry did not meet with his brother, Prince William, during his trip.

Downing Street also confirmed that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak would hold his weekly audience with the King over the phone, following an agreement with Buckingham Palace.