Prince of Wales to return to duties after Kate diagnosis

The Prince of Wales is to carry out his first royal engagement since his wife revealed her cancer diagnosis last month.

He has spent the past three-and-a-half weeks with Catherine, Princess of Wales, and their three children.

The 41-year-old will visit a food redistribution charity in Sunbury-on-Thames, Surrey, on Thursday.

He will also be visiting a youth centre based in west London that benefits from the charity's work.

Catherine said her diagnosis had come as a "shock" in a video message last month, in which she revealed she was undergoing chemotherapy.

Her cancer was discovered in post-operative tests following her abdominal surgery in January, and has been keeping out of the public eye while she recovers. Before her diagnosis, the palace said she was going to return to royal duties after Easter.

Catherine had not attended any official events since Christmas, with her health and whereabouts subject to widespread and often wild online speculation before her announcement.

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• What do we know about the King's cancer diagnosis?

• How has cancer changed King Charles's duties?

In her video message on 23 March, the princess thanked the public for their support and understanding, and said it had been an "incredibly tough couple of months" for their family.

The princess said it had "taken time" to explain the situation to Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, aged 10, eight and five respectively.

"In January, I underwent major abdominal surgery in London and at the time, it was thought that my condition was non-cancerous," she said, adding "tests after the operation found cancer had been present".

She added that having her husband by her side had been a "great source of comfort".

While he has been seen in public, Prince William has taken a step back from official appearances since his wife's message. His last royal duty was a visit to housing initiatives in Sheffield in March.

Last week, he was seen with his eldest son Prince George at an Aston Villa football match.

Kensington Palace said the prince was undertaking this week's engagements to shine a spotlight on the organisation's community and environmental impact.

As part of Thursday's visit to Surrey-based Surplus to Supper, the prince will help volunteers load food deliveries into their vans at the charity's hub at Sunbury Cricket Club.

Prince William will also lend a hand in the kitchen by joining the team of chefs as they prepare meals.

"Protecting the environment for future generations is one of the Prince of Wales's key priorities," the Palace said.

As well as Catherine, King Charles III has also temporarily stepped back from his public duties while he is treated for cancer.