Prince William thanks public for support in first speech since King’s cancer diagnosis

Prince William spoke publicly for the first time since King Charles’ cancer diagnosis, while at a charity gala on Wednesday evening (7 February).

Princess Kate Middleton is also recovering from a recent abdominal surgery.

The Prince of Wales thanked the public for their messages of support while speaking at an event for the London Air Ambulance Service in central London.

“I’d like to take this opportunity to say thank you, also, for the kind messages of support for Catherine and for my father, especially in recent days,” he said.

“It’s fair to say the past few weeks have had a rather medical focus,” he added, joking he came to an air ambulance function to “get away from it all”.

The 75-year-old monarch’s cancer diagnosis was announced on 5 February, after undergoing a procedure for benign prostate enlargement.