Prince William faces a challenging balancing act as he navigates royal responsibilities while supporting his family during Princess Kate's ongoing recovery from cancer.
Royal author Andrew Morton, known for his biography The Queen: 1926-2022, believes the late Queen Elizabeth would have been deeply proud of how her son has stepped up in King Charles's absence at numerous royal events.
Princess Kate, who announced her cancer diagnosis in March, continues her important public roles, including hosting her annual carol service on December 10.
The Queen's legacy of steadfast duty and devotion to the family appears to have influenced William’s approach as he takes on a heavier load of royal duties during a particularly difficult time for his family.
Morton said: "I don't envy his role at the moment – he's got a lot on his plate."
"But William is handling it as well as you can do when you've got a wife who has been seriously ill and three children who need support and comfort," he added.
"For anyone dealing with a long-term illness, especially in that kind of position, it's very difficult."
Andrew believes the late Queen would be proud of the way William has handled the challenges amid the prince's admission that this has been "the hardest year of my life."
He told the Mirror: "The Queen always used to say you've got to be seen to be believed, and that's as true today as it was 50 years ago. So the show has to go on."
Morton praised Williams', "maturity, common sense, and empathy" for undertaking as many official engagements as he could.
The royal author recalls Elizabeth's advice to "keep calm and carry on", as he continues to be "father, nurse, and Prince of Wales."
"They used to chat about his future duties, and she prepared him in a very careful way. William owes the Queen an awful lot, as do they all."
Referring to Queen Elizabeth, he added: "She was very mindful of the fact that these young couples shouldn't have to harness themselves to doing endless royal duties.
"They can spend a bit of time getting to know one another and enjoy a normal life – and William and Kate for the first couple of years managed that.
"The Queen was great in terms of character, whether it be horses or people.
"She'll have seen in William that he was someone who was prepared to sacrifice elements of his own privacy and life to be an active member of the Royal Family – which he's become."
