Prince William and Kate Middleton might become King and Queen sooner than expected

A royal biographer has said that Prince William and Kate Middleton are preparing for an earlier-than-expected ascent to the throne, as King Charles faces ongoing health challenges.

King Charles was diagnosed with cancer in February of this year, and began treatment shortly after. Following his diagnosis, he stepped back from public appearances but remained active behind the scenes, continuing to manage paperwork, hold private meetings, and maintain his weekly sessions with the Prime Minister.

The King took to the throne after Queen Elizabeth II died in September 2022 - a role he spend several decades preparing for before finally taking the crown.

Now, just two years on, royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith has claimed that William and Kate will take the throne much sooner than anyone expected.

She told People Magazine: “Although the King is carrying out his duties with typical determination, he has had to accept limitations during his cancer treatment"

“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."

A royal insider said that "there's a sense of calm before the storm" for William and Kate.

“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.”

Not long after Charles announced his cancer diagnosis, the public were quick to notice Kate's absence from royal duties, and in March it was revealed she too had been diagnosed with cancer and was taking time away from the public eye to undergo chemotherapy.

The Princess of Wales shared a personal video addressing the public, stating that the diagnosis had come as a "huge shock" and her and William had kept the information private until their three young children had time to "understand and process" the news.

Although in September she shared the news that she had finished chemotherapy and was now "cancer free".

Since then Kate has made a gradual return to royal duties, including visiting first responders involved in the tragic Southport stabbings, and bringing holiday spirit to the annual Christmas carol service held at Westminster, last week.

Where she was overheard telling pop star Paloma Faith that the year had been extremely difficult for her.

“I didn’t know this year was going to be the year that I’ve just had", she shared.

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This comes after Prince William attended the official reopening of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, on behalf of his father.

It is clear that William has stepped up his royal duties over the past few months, whilst supporting his family through these difficult times.

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