William and Kate could become king and queen ‘sooner than they would have expected,’ here's why

Prince William attended the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral on behalf of the king, which many viewed as an indication that he is readying for his future role.

Prince William and Kate Middleton could become king and queen sooner than they expected as the present monarch, King Charles, continues to battle cancer, a royal biographer has suggested. “Although the King is carrying out his duties with typical determination, he has had to accept limitations during his cancer treatment,” Sally Bedell Smith told People in an article published on Wednesday, December 11.

William and Kate could become king and queen ‘sooner than they would have expected,’ here's why (Danny Lawson, Pool Photo via AP)(AP)

“As a result, William has been taking on more responsibilities, and he and Kate have been preparing for their future roles sooner than they would have expected,” Smith added.

‘They are next in line for the biggest job of their lives’

Charles was coronated in May 2023. Less than a year later, it was announced that he had been diagnosed with cancer. 

A source told the outlet that “there’s a sense of calm before the storm” for Kate and William. “They are next in line for the biggest job of their lives, and of course, Kate’s health has taken priority, but it’s also allowed everyone to take a step back and figure out what’s important right now,” the insider added.

William attended the official reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on behalf of the king this month, which many viewed as an indication that he is already readying for his future role. It has been tough for the Prince of Wales as his wife – and not just his father – was diagnosed with cancer too. Kate shared in a video in March, following a long absence from the public eye, that the diagnosis had come as a “huge shock” and they had kept the information private until their kids had time to “understand and process the news before it was made public.” Kate and William are parents to Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 8, and Prince Louis, 5.

Kate released another video in September, saying she had “finally completed” her chemotherapy treatment. The Princess of Wales said the process was “complex, scary and unpredictable.”

During Kate’s recent public appearance at the fourth annual ‘Together at Christmas’ carol service at Westminster Abbey, she was overheard telling pop star Paloma Faith that she has had a difficult year. “I didn’t know this year was going to be the year that I’ve just had,” Kate said.