Last February, it was revealed that King Charles was diagnosed with cancer, and this past weekend, the Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton, shared that she too is currently battling the disease. As a result, both have significantly stepped back and have not participated in public events for the last two months.

King Charles has been seen occasionally, whether at church or in the palace, but around Middleton, there was a particularly large cloud of uncertainty - until last Friday, when she announced her diagnosis and began receiving preventative chemotherapy treatment.

As Charles and Kate undergo treatments, the focus has shifted to the heir apparent and the king's eldest son, Prince William, who is now at the center of attention, with all eyes on him.

In February, it was revealed that King Charles was diagnosed with cancer, and over the last weekend, the Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton, shared that she too is currently battling the disease. As a result, both have significantly stepped back, having not participated in public events in the past two months. While King Charles has been seen occasionally, either at church or in the palace, a particular cloud of uncertainty has hovered around Middleton until last Friday, when she announced her cancer diagnosis and began receiving preventative chemotherapy.

As Charles and Kate undergo treatments, the focus has shifted to the heir apparent and the king's eldest son, Prince William, who is now at the center of attention, with all eyes turned towards him.

"The crown always seemed so far from William," a palace source once said. But now, a year and a half after Queen Elizabeth passed away and her eldest son was crowned king, it seems Britain is already preparing for the day after, and Prince William is beginning to realize that the throne is approaching him in giant strides. "When King Charles's cancer diagnosis was announced, I'm sure William's first reaction was a son's concern for his father," said Anna Whitelock, a professor of monarchy history, adding, "He is about to feel the weight of responsibility that will be placed on his shoulders - and I'm sure he's aware of it."

In his youth, Prince William was very shy, especially after the death of his mother, Princess Diana. Royal biographer Katie Nicholl wrote in her book "Kate: The Future Queen": "William consciously tried to avoid any attention he attracted," adding, "He was extremely shy and very much aware of the celebrity he had become against his will. He was still trying to come to terms with the trauma of his mother's death."

In fact, in contrast to his younger brother, Prince Harry, who made headlines for various reasons - from wearing a Nazi costume to drug and alcohol parties, it can be said that until 2018, William managed to keep himself well away from public scandals. In November 2018, his name hit the headlines along with that of his brother, after it was revealed that there was a sharp rift between the two. Palace sources pointed an accusing finger at Meghan Markle, claiming she entered the palace and disturbed the peace within the royal family, especially between the brothers.

A second and more severe scandal erupted in April 2019 when IN TOUCH magazine reported that William had cheated on his wife with Rose Hanbury, Middleton's best friend. William strongly denied the rumors, but the cold shoulder he received from his wife in the following months gave royal fans legitimacy to believe there was something amiss.

The heir apparent weathered the crises and began to occupy an increasingly central place in the monarchy. After his grandmother's death in September 2022, he became the right-hand man of his father, who was crowned king. "William is absolutely devastated and worried about his wife, children, and father - in addition to all the problems he has with his brother," said royal biographer Claudia Joseph. "It's definitely hard, but he will overcome. William is made of strong stuff; he is very stoic and composed."

Since 2017, William has taken on more and more royal duties and has been praised for advancing the causes he chose, such as environmental quality and mental health. Robert Hardman, author of "Charles the Third," has often said that William will be a very successful king and, unlike his father, will not be content with wearing the crown and walking around with a cape but will be more active. Hardman added, referring to William's extraordinary statement last February, when he called for increasing humanitarian aid to Gaza and immediately releasing the Israeli hostages, saying he was curious to see whether these statements would be understood or if there should be a red line that royalty must not cross.

The absence of Charles and Middleton in recent months has increased the attention directed towards the heir apparent, who plans to make the monarchy more accessible to the current generation. "I think the royal family needs to modernize and evolve while remaining relevant," the Prince said in a 2016 BBC interview when asked about his future as king. "The challenge for me is to make the royal family relevant over the next 20 years. It could happen in 40 years or even in 60 years; I don't know when, but I hope it's something I can achieve."

Now, as mentioned, with all eyes on the heir apparent and also on his unconventional mother, Queen Consort Camilla, she finds herself under the public's scrutinizing gaze. Insiders say that since Charles's cancer diagnosis, William and Camilla have managed to mend their relationship - which had been quite shaky over the years. "There is genuine warmth between them after years of strained relations," confirmed a source to "Mirror." "From William's perspective, he wants to balance his private life and support for his wife and family with his public duties. He has been doing this very successfully in recent months - and will continue to do so," said a monarchy expert to "Sunday Times."

A close friend of the Prince of Wales added, "Without a doubt, what he experienced in his life and what he went through with his mother led him to do everything to protect his family. That's all he wants to do - to know they are alright, to spend Easter alone with them away from everyone else."