Prince William to Return to Royal Duties for First Time Since Kate Middleton’s Cancer Revelation

Prince William is stepping out later this week for his first official duty since his wife Kate Middleton announced her cancer diagnosis.

The Prince of Wales, 41, has been helping look after the couple’s three children — Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 8, and Prince Louis, 5 — while they are on school vacation and caring for Princess Kate, 42, as she undergoes her treatment.

When Kate made her announcement, sources told PEOPLE that William would return to public royal duties after the children returned to school (term starts on April 17) in a balanced, measured way, tempered by the needs of Kate and his family.

On April 18, he will do this by highlighting the work of community and environmental organizations in southwest London and Surrey, his office at Kensington Palace announced on April 16. Prince William will begin the day in Sunbury-on-Thames to see how a food distribution charity called Surplus to Supper delivers, sorts and repackages unused food to community groups.

Afterward, he will visit a youth center in West London which receives regular deliveries of the surplus food and distributes it to those in need.

The day showcases his desire to build a waste-free world, which is a key template for the prince’s environmental Earthshot Prize. Tackling food waste and using surplus food is also something that his father, King Charles, has spotlighted since his coronation in 2023.