Prince William Returns to Royal Duties Days After Skipping Memorial Service for ‘Personal Matter’

Prince William has returned to public-facing duties after his noticeable absence from a memorial service for his godfather, the late King Constantine of Greece.

William, 41, was photographed at The Western Marble Arch Synagogue in London on Wednesday, February 29. The Prince of Wales met with the Holocaust Educational Trust ambassadors and Holocaust survivor Renee Salt.

“Antisemitism has no place in our society,” William said during his Thursday synagogue visit, according to People, before referencing his wife, Princess Kate Middleton. “Both Catherine and I are extremely concerned about the rise of antisemitism.”

William’s public appearance on Thursday came days after Kensington Palace confirmed he would not attend King Constantine of Greece’s memorial service on Tuesday, February 27, because of “a personal matter.” Further details were not given, but the palace noted that Kate, 42, is doing well while recovering from her recent abdominal surgery.

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Fans of the royal family have expressed concern for Kate following her procedure, and theories have run rampant online regarding her whereabouts. A spokesperson for the Princess of Wales addressed the speculation in a statement to Us Weekly on Thursday.

“Kensington Palace made it clear in January the timelines of the princess’ recovery and we’d only be providing significant updates,” the spokesperson said. “That guidance stands.”

Kensington Palace announced on January 17 that Kate underwent a “planned” abdominal procedure at The London Clinic.

“The surgery was successful, and it is expected that she will remain in hospital for ten to fourteen days, before returning home to continue her recovery,” read a social media statement. “Based on the current medical advice, she is unlikely to return to public duties until after Easter.”

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Initially, William took a brief break from his royal duties, canceling a handful of appearances in the wake of Kate’s surgery. He returned to work earlier this month, hosting his first outing on February 7 to give honors on behalf of his father, King Charles III. (The King underwent a procedure for an enlarged prostate last month. Buckingham Palace announced on February 5 that he was diagnosed with “a form of cancer.”)

While William and Charles, 75, skipped the memorial service in Windsor, Queen Camilla, Princess Anne, Queen Anne Marie of Greece and Crown Prince Pavlos of Greece were all in attendance.

Details about Kate’s health and abdominal procedure have been kept under wraps, but a source told Us late last month that more might eventually come to light.

“She’s been resting up and enjoying lots of visits from Prince William and the kids,” the insider said at the time, noting that Kate “may disclose more information in due course” about the surgery.