King Charles "encouraged" Prince William to step away from royal duties and care for his family, a royal commentator has claimed.
Princess Kate, 42, underwent "planned abdominal surgery" last month, and the Prince of Wales, 41, announced he would step back from duties for a short while to care for his wife during her recuperation.
William has since returned to royal duties, having attended the BAFTAs last weekend and British Red Cross HQ today.
According to royal commentator Ingrid Seward, the author of My Mother and I, it was King Charles who originally encouraged his eldest son to focus on his family as opposed to royal duties.
The Royal Family during Trooping the Colour in 2023
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She said: "Charles always put duty first because that's what his mother did.
"And that's what Diana decided she wouldn't do.
"I think Charles has encouraged William to spend more time with the family and also said to William, 'I don't want you to take on any royal duties until you absolutely have to,' because you remember we criticised William the work-shy?
"And that was his father very much saying, 'You don't have to do this, be with your young family. Enjoy it while you can. You've got years and years and years of royal duties to do'."
Prince William and Princess Kate taking their children to Lambrook School in 2022
PAThe commentator was asked if the King's support for his son to choose family first was influenced by his own childhood.
Seward continued telling A Right Royal Podcast: "This is a big influence from his childhood, he doesn't want the same thing to happen to his son.
"He wants William to be able to enjoy his wife and family as much as he's able to do so within the restrictions of what he's doing."
Prince William was often called 'work-shy' when he was raising his young family
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Princess Kate is recuperating at Adelaide CottageGettyKate is recuperating at Adelaide Cottage in Windsor, and is not expected to return to royal duties until at least after Easter.
The princess was treated at The London Clinic, the same place where King Charles, 75, received treatment for an enlarged prostate.
It has since been announced that the monarch was diagnosed with a form of cancer, albeit not prostate cancer.
Charles has therefore postponed all "public-facing duties" but "will continue to undertake State business and official paperwork," according to Buckingham Palace.