Kate Middleton will be feeling "vulnerable" as her husband Prince William leaves her side to return to Royal engagements for the first time after she revealed her cancer diagnosis to the world, a royal expert has said.
Today, the Prince of Wales resumed his Royal responsibilities with a measured approach, according to a palace insider, as the 41 year old visited Surplus to Supper, a charity in Surrey that redistributes surplus food. He pitched in at the kitchen and assisted with loading prepared meals into delivery vehicles before making his way to a youth centre in West London that receives food from the charity.
William's last official Royal engagement was on March 20, when he visited Combermere Barracks near Windsor to spend time with the Welsh Guards, where he serves as their Colonel. Over the past three-and-a-half weeks, the prince has cherished the Easter break with his family, offering them a chance to unwind and come to terms with Kate's health situation.
Former BBC Royal correspondent Jennie Bond commented that this period would have been invaluable for William, Kate, and their children - Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.
READ MORE: Prince William's careful plan to protect 'vulnerable' Kate Middleton as he returns to work
And she reflected how William has chosen not to wander too far from the royal couple's Windsor home as he returns to royal duties, and is gradually returning to his Royal engagements after his wife's treatment, initially focusing on local events and issues close to his heart.
Jennie told OK! magazine: "William has chosen the day after the children go back to school to get back to work himself. That's sensible...settle the kids in and then concentrate on official duties. And it is a cautious start... close to home and close to issues that matter deeply to him: community and the environment.
"Catherine will be feeling vulnerable and must have loved having this family time, with her parents also staying at Anmer Hall. I have no doubt that Carole and Mike will be on hand as much as ever to help Catherine readjust to life with her husband back at work. And William will undoubtedly take things one step at a time, only increasing his workload when his wife and his children are ready for him to do so."
On March 22, the princess made it known that she would be stepping back from Royal duties to concentrate on her family and her treatment journey.
Jennie has expressed her support for Catherine's decision to the press, saying: "These past three weeks will have been very precious for William, Catherine and their family. By announcing that she is undergoing treatment for cancer, the Princess claimed something that should have been hers from the start: the right to recover from surgery and deal with cancer in private. I hope it has given them the breathing space they must have so badly needed.
"Time to be a family together, enjoy the simple things of life.... country walks, snuggles in front of the TV , and going to football ...without the constant noise of where are they and what's the matter? ".
On March 22, in an emotional video message, Kate requested privacy for her family following her announcement that she was undergoing chemotherapy.
"I have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family," she shared, adding: "It has taken us time to explain everything to George, Charlotte and Louis in a way that is appropriate for them, and to reassure them that I am going to be okay."
Founded in 2017, Surplus to Supper collects and distributes around 10 tons of food per week to various institutions such as food banks, schools, care homes, religious groups and youth centres. Prince William was set to visit the charity's headquarters at Sunbury Cricket Club to meet with the dedicated volunteers working to bridge the gap between surplus food and those experiencing food poverty in Surrey and London areas.
The Palace has recognised the environmental benefits of reducing food waste, stating: "Reducing food waste has a considerable number of environmental benefits, including reducing emissions from landfill that contribute to climate change," and adding that "Protecting the environment for future generations is one of the Prince of Wales's key priorities."
Prince William was last seen in public on March 19, when he visited Sheffield to promote his Homewards campaign aimed at tackling homelessness.
Kensington Palace previously assured that William would return to his public duties following the school holidays, albeit with a reduced schedule as he supports Kate during her chemotherapy treatment.
Just last week, Prince William was seen taking his eldest son, Prince George, aged 10, to an Aston Villa football match. This marked his first public outing since the news of Kate's illness broke, where they watched his childhood favourite team beat Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.
Kate's cancer diagnosis was revealed after post-operative tests following her abdominal surgery in January.