Royal family
Prince William has been taking a leave of absence from royal duties while his wife, Kate Middleton, undergoes cancer treatment. But the prince just hopped back onto social media briefly.
Prince William and Kate Middleton are one royal unit. Known as the Prince and Princess of Wales, the two have separate patronages within the royal family but ultimately do everything in partnership — and their Instagram account is no different. During Kate’s leave of absence, though, William was continuing to attend royal engagements, with Kensington Palace sharing his outings on social media. But the account went silent after Kate used it to share her cancer diagnosis.
Now, William has made a brief return to social media — but for a lighthearted reason.
The couple’s Instagram account has long been a place where they can showcase their philanthropic work. But they also mix in some lighthearted messages, and William has developed a love for British sports teams, including soccer; he often sends good luck messages or congratulatory thoughts to British teams on their accomplishments.
On April 10, William briefly returned to the app to congratulate soccer player Rachel Daly on her lengthy career in England; Daly announced that she is leaving the England national team, The Lionesses. William shared a message to Instagram: “Thank you for so many unforgettable performances,” William wrote. He then joked, “Plenty more goals for Villa now!” He signed it “W,” which is how he and Kate often sign off on anything — using their first initials, W or C.
Prince William’s Instagram message might mean good things for Kate Middleton
Kate is currently taking a leave of absence from royal duties while she undergoes cancer treatment, and William is taking about a month off as well to be with his wife and children. For that reason, William and Kate have not been posting much on social media, but the light-hearted message might mean good things for the princess.
While Kate’s condition is serious, it’s possible that William’s ability to joke online shows that Kate is doing well with treatment. While it’s a stretch to say the two are related, it wouldn’t be surprising if William wanted nothing to do with social media if Kate was not doing well, so we’re choosing to look at his fun message as a good sign that the family is doing alright.
Right now, there is no set return date for the Princess of Wales. During her announcement, Kate asked for privacy while she undergoes treatment, and the public and press have so far granted her that. Still, it remains unclear what type of cancer she has or its stage, and for that reason, it’s hard to predict when she might return to royal duties. For now, the prince and princess are getting some extra time with their young children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.
