Prince William Visits with Welsh Guards After Kate Middleton Misses Big Event for Her Irish Guards
The Prince of Wales made a private trip to the Combermere Barracks near Windsor, where Kate is recovering from surgery
Prince William is reporting for Colonel duty.
On Wednesday, William made a private visit to the Welsh Guards at the Combermere Barracks near Windsor, where he lives with Kate Middleton and their three children. He became Colonel of the Welsh Guards in 2023, a fitting role as King Charles named him the Prince of Wales following his accession, the traditional title for the heir to the British throne.
Prince William, 41, checked out the facilities and learned about planned improvements while spending time with soldiers, medics and physical training instructors during his visit. He also heard about the physical and mental rehabilitation programs the Welsh Guards are carrying out and the positive impact this is having on soldiers.
A post with pictures of the visit shared on social media was captioned, "As Colonel, Welsh Guards, it’s always a pleasure visiting the barracks to speak with the soldiers, hear plans for their future, and witness the great work the Battalion does with physical and mental rehabilitation."
Related: Kate Middleton's Surgery Recovery and Photo Controversy: Everything to Know
When Prince William became the Colonel of the Welsh Guards, Princess Kate, 42, became the Colonel of the Irish Guards — a position previously held by her husband — in the same sweep. However, the couple did not attend the Irish Guards' St. Patrick's Day parade over the weekend as Kate continues to recover from her recent abdominal surgery and is not expected to return to public duties until after Easter.
Despite her absence at the holiday event, where Princess Kate traditionally hands out shamrock sprigs and toasts with a pint of Guinness, the Irish Guards kept the Princess of Wales in mind. A source told PEOPLE ahead of the event that they planned to give Kate three cheers at the end of their parade.
Although Prince William took several weeks off from public duties following Princess Kate's surgery, he has returned to royal engagements in recent weeks. On Tuesday, he headed to Sheffield to continue his mission to make homelessness "rare, brief and unrepeated."
Over the weekend, the Prince and Princess of Wales were filmed together at the Windsor Farm Shop, marking the first time Kate has been seen on video since her abdominal surgery on Jan. 16.
Nelson Silva, a Windsor local who recorded the video, spoke to The Sun about the continued speculation surrounding Princess Kate's health, slamming online conspiracy theories as "delusional."
"This is a video clearly showing her and William," he said. "I saw them with my own eyes. It was a completely relaxed situation."
Related: Prince William Had Kate Middleton on His Mind at Latest Solo Outing — Find Out His Sweet Remark
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U.K. cricket player Kevin Pietersen also attempted to clear up rumors, sharing on social media on Tuesday, "The conspiracy theories around Kate are absolutely absurd! We see W&K most days and in the last couple days too! It beggars belief that people would be so ridiculous and cruel in writing BULLS--- on this platform that are out and out lies! W&K are the most wonderful parents and as normal/humble as they come. Let K who is recovering from an operation recover. Leave her and her beautiful family alone!!!!"
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