Exclusive : For William and Kate, that throne looks a lot closer than it did a year ago’: Abdication questions plague King Charles after cancer news….See More

When King Charles revealed to the world, in February, he was receiving treatment after being diagnosed with cancer there were some immediate fears for the future of the British monarchy.

Would the then-75-year old be able to carry out his constitutional duties as monarch while having treatment?

How long would the King be away from public-facing duties?

And, perhaps, the biggest question of all with the most significant ramifications: would King Charles III abdicate the throne for his son, and heir, Prince William?

The last British King to abdicate was Edward III in December, 1936, leaving his younger brother George VI to succeed the throne.

“Abdication is not something that we expect any monarch to do,” ITV’s royal editor Chris Ship tells 9honey.

But, he says, “there are some arguments in favour of abdication”.

Ship points to the events that have taken place in Denmark this year when Queen Margrethe II abdicated for her son, the now King Frederik X.

The change of throne happened on January 14 – the 52nd anniversary of Margrethe’s own accession.

The then-83-year-old Queen made the announcement in her New Year’s Eve address to the nation, and said her decision was made after a period of reflection following surgery on her back in early 2023.

The surgery naturally gave rise to thinking about the future – whether the time had come to leave the responsibility to the next generation,” she said.

The change meant Denmark is now ruled by a much younger King and Queen: Frederik celebrated his 56th birthday in May, while his Australian-born wife, Queen Mary, is 52.

“There is, however, a debate to be had about is it more sensible to do what the Danish royal family did?” Ship says.

“And when your monarch reaches her or his mid 80s, well, hand it over to the next in line?

“But I just don’t think it’s going to happen in the UK and it would only happen if the King himself was just unable to do any public events, was not able to fulfil the role of head of state.

And even then he might not abdicate, we might have a regency in which he would step back and Prince William would be a King in all but name.”

Prior to Queen Elizabeth II’s death in September, 2022, Charles was the longest-serving Prince of Wales, or heir, in British history.

He succeeded the throne at 73, making him the best-prepared and oldest new monarch ever to take to the throne in Britain.

Prince William is now Prince of Wales and heir and he is naturally going to have a shorter time in the role than his father.

“William and Kate have only really been the Prince and Princess of Wales for two years and suddenly the throne that they always knew was coming their way – in fact, I should say thrones because it will be a King and a Queen in the case of William and Kate – suddenly it looks a lot closer than it did before,” Ship says.

Prince William and Catherine, though, are focused on their young family and have been criticised in the past for prioritising their children over taking on a bigger official role.

Prince George is 11, Princess Charlotte is nine and Prince Louis is six.

In early November, the Prince of Wales said this year had been “brutal” and the “hardest” of his life.

Asked how the past year had been for him personally, in the wake of his father’s cancer diagnosis, followed by his wife’s a month later, William said: “Honestly? It’s been dreadful. It’s probably been the hardest year in my life.

Trying to get through everything else and keep everything on track has been really difficult. But I’m so proud of my wife, I’m proud of my father, for handling the things that they have done.

“But from a personal family point of view, it’s been, yeah, it’s been brutal.”

Kate’s gradual return to public-facing work began in October following a lengthy period away while she was receiving chemotherapy.

Next week, the princess will take part in the state visit of Qatar and days later she will host her annual Together at Christmas concert inside Westminster Abbey.

Ship says of Kate’s situation: “I think people respect that the Princess of Wales can’t get out there at the moment any more than she’s doing at the moment.

No one’s putting any pressure on her in the short term to do any more work.”

Family has mattered now, more than ever, to Prince William and Kate.

“I think they’re hoping to have more time to be with their family to not have the responsibility of being head of state,” Ship says.

“But of course, these things are not really in their control because you know, hereditary monarchy happens as it says on the tin – if the monarch dies, it goes to the oldest son or daughter.

“So William and Kate are concerned about what’s coming down the track, but they are prepared for it at the end of the day.”