Prince William awards footballer Ellen Convery the Commander of the Order of the British Empire, at Windsor Castle. AP
Prince William awards footballer Ellen Convery the Commander of the Order of the British Empire, at Windsor Castle. AP
Prince William awards footballer Ellen Convery the Commander of the Order of the British Empire, at Windsor Castle. AP
Prince William awards footballer Ellen Convery the Commander of the Order of the British Empire, at Windsor Castle. AP

Prince William steps up after King Charles's cancer diagnosis


Gillian Duncan
  • English
  • Arabic

Heir to the British throne Prince William is to shoulder more responsibilities as the public face of the UK monarchy in the absence of his father King Charles III.

The Prince of Wales returned to public duties on Wednesday, two days after it was announced that the king is undergoing treatment for cancer.

The prince carried out an investiture at Windsor Castle, in southern England, which is one of his regular duties, and will later attend the London Air Ambulance annual fund-raising gala in central London in his role as patron of the charity.

Prince William accidentally dropped the MBE he was presenting to charity worker Suzanne Hutchinson at Windsor Castle. PA
Prince William accidentally dropped the MBE he was presenting to charity worker Suzanne Hutchinson at Windsor Castle. PA

He presented more than 50 honours during the late morning ceremony, accidentally dropping a MBE medal he was giving to charity worker Suzanne Hutchinson

The prince quickly picked it up and pinned it to Ms Hutchinson, who was recognised for her services to children with congenital heart disease.

He was returning to official engagements three weeks after taking time off when his wife, Kate, Princess of Wales, underwent major abdominal surgery for an undisclosed condition.

The Princess of Wales, who was treated at the same hospital in central London and discharged the same day as the king, is expected to remain away from public duties until after Easter.

Their absence leaves Prince William, Queen Camilla and the Princess Royal, who carried out an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle on Tuesday, holding the fort alongside the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh.

Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams told The National the king’s illness exposes the “dangers” of slimming down a monarchy too much.

The British monarchy has lost key members in recent years after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and Meghan, stepped down from royal duties in early 2020.

Prince Andrew returned most of his titles and royal duties to the late queen, after facing a US civil sexual assault lawsuit, which he later paid millions to settle.

“It was never practical to slim [the monarchy] down too far,” Mr Fitzwilliams said.

“But remember what has happened with the Sussexes and with Andrew led to this. Some of this was not avoidable. Or at least you couldn’t plan in this way.

Observers wonder if the king's illness could bring about a reconciliation with Prince Harry, pictured with his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex. Reuters
Observers wonder if the king's illness could bring about a reconciliation with Prince Harry, pictured with his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex. Reuters

“This is all unprecedented”

Mr Fitzwilliams said there is nothing that can be done to immediately relieve the pressure on the family and its working members should not be slimmed down any further.

Princess Anne already has a huge number of engagements.

“Prince William will undoubtedly be doing more. There’s no doubt about that. And also, there will be more pressure on the queen.

“She’s the king’s rock. They are soul mates. He will be very clearly reliant on her love and support.”

Princess Anne, left, presents rugby union referee Sara Cox with her MBE at Windsor Castle. AP
Princess Anne, left, presents rugby union referee Sara Cox with her MBE at Windsor Castle. AP

Mr Fitzwilliams said the family's spring and summer schedules will be very difficult to plan.

“Running a monarchy needs careful planning. And this is tricky, to put it mildly. It’s serious,” he added.

One silver lining to the king’s illness could be a reconciliation with Prince Harry, who has travelled to the UK from the US to see his father.

The king called both his sons to inform them of his condition ahead of the public announcement.

“We will have to wait and see, but obviously he’s very concerned and hopefully this will lead to some form of reconciliation,” said Mr Fitzwilliams.

“To what extent this occurs … these things take time. But there’s no doubt at all that in the circumstances, this may be a positive outcome.”

Prince Harry arrived in London from California on Tuesday afternoon, less than 24 hours after the announcement about the king’s health was made to the nation by Buckingham Palace.

However, their first face-to-face encounter for many months appeared to last for as little as 45 minutes before the king was flown by helicopter to Sandringham in Norfolk, east England.

Prince William is said to have grown closer to his father in the wake of his brother’s controversial interviews, documentary and memoir, which saw him launch a flurry of allegations at his family.

It is believed William and his brother will not meet during Harry's trip to London, with their long-running rift continuing.

As it stands there are no plans to appoint any Counsellors of State to act on behalf of Charles in his absence.

King Charles III through the years – in pictures

Counsellors can be authorised by the monarch to carry out all but the sovereign's most key roles, such as appointing a new prime minister, and must be selected from Charles' spouse Queen Camilla, Prince William, Prince Harry, Prince Andrew, Andrew's eldest daughter Princess Beatrice, Princess Anne and Prince Edward.

The “workaholic” king will carry on behind the scenes, dealing with the red boxes which contain his state business and official papers, say officials.

He will also hold his weekly audiences with the Prime Minister and monthly Privy Council meetings, which can both be done remotely.

The king and queen were expected to visit Canada in May, and Australia, New Zealand and Samoa for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in October.

But the illness raises the prospect that Prince William may have to deputise for the king, who is head of the Commonwealth, at the meeting, just as Charles did for the late queen.

Other trips could be postponed, depending on how the king's health progresses.

Forthcoming events that could see William playing a key role include the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey at the start of March and the 80th anniversary of D-Day in June.

SEMI-FINAL

Monterrey 1 

Funes Mori (14)

Liverpool 2

Keita (11), Firmino (90 1)

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
UAE%20v%20West%20Indies
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Fixtures
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EWednesday%2C%20April%203%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EArsenal%20v%20Luton%20Town%2C%2010.30pm%20(UAE)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EManchester%20City%20v%20Aston%20Villa%2C%2011.15pm%20(UAE)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EThursday%2C%20April%204%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ELiverpool%20v%20Sheffield%20United%2C%2010.30pm%20(UAE)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups

Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.

Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.

Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.

Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).

Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.

Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.

Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.

Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.

Teri%20Baaton%20Mein%20Aisa%20Uljha%20Jiya
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirectors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Amit%20Joshi%20and%20Aradhana%20Sah%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECast%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Shahid%20Kapoor%2C%20Kriti%20Sanon%2C%20Dharmendra%2C%20Dimple%20Kapadia%2C%20Rakesh%20Bedi%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Why your domicile status is important

Your UK residence status is assessed using the statutory residence test. While your residence status – ie where you live - is assessed every year, your domicile status is assessed over your lifetime.

Your domicile of origin generally comes from your parents and if your parents were not married, then it is decided by your father. Your domicile is generally the country your father considered his permanent home when you were born. 

UK residents who have their permanent home ("domicile") outside the UK may not have to pay UK tax on foreign income. For example, they do not pay tax on foreign income or gains if they are less than £2,000 in the tax year and do not transfer that gain to a UK bank account.

A UK-domiciled person, however, is liable for UK tax on their worldwide income and gains when they are resident in the UK.

ESSENTIALS

The flights

Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.

The hotels

Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.

The tours

A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages. 

How will Gen Alpha invest?

Mark Chahwan, co-founder and chief executive of robo-advisory firm Sarwa, forecasts that Generation Alpha (born between 2010 and 2024) will start investing in their teenage years and therefore benefit from compound interest.

“Technology and education should be the main drivers to make this happen, whether it’s investing in a few clicks or their schools/parents stepping up their personal finance education skills,” he adds.

Mr Chahwan says younger generations have a higher capacity to take on risk, but for some their appetite can be more cautious because they are investing for the first time. “Schools still do not teach personal finance and stock market investing, so a lot of the learning journey can feel daunting and intimidating,” he says.

He advises millennials to not always start with an aggressive portfolio even if they can afford to take risks. “We always advise to work your way up to your risk capacity, that way you experience volatility and get used to it. Given the higher risk capacity for the younger generations, stocks are a favourite,” says Mr Chahwan.

Highlighting the role technology has played in encouraging millennials and Gen Z to invest, he says: “They were often excluded, but with lower account minimums ... a customer with $1,000 [Dh3,672] in their account has their money working for them just as hard as the portfolio of a high get-worth individual.”

Playing records of the top 10 in 2017

How many games the top 10 have undertaken in the 2017 ATP season

1. Rafael Nadal 58 (49-9)

2. Andy Murray 35 (25-10)

3. Roger Federer 38 (35-3)

4. Stan Wawrinka 37 (26-11)

5. Novak Djokovic 40 (32-8)

6. Alexander Zverev 60 (46-14)

7. Marin Cilic 43 (29-14)

8. Dominic Thiem 60 (41-19)

9. Grigor Dimitrov 48 (34-14)

10. Kei Nishikori 43 (30-13)

UK-EU trade at a glance

EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years

Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products

Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries

Smoother border management with use of e-gates

Cutting red tape on import and export of food

Tell-tale signs of burnout

- loss of confidence and appetite

- irritability and emotional outbursts

- sadness

- persistent physical ailments such as headaches, frequent infections and fatigue

- substance abuse, such as smoking or drinking more

- impaired judgement

- excessive and continuous worrying

- irregular sleep patterns

 

Tips to help overcome burnout

Acknowledge how you are feeling by listening to your warning signs. Set boundaries and learn to say ‘no’

Do activities that you want to do as well as things you have to do

Undertake at least 30 minutes of exercise per day. It releases an abundance of feel-good hormones

Find your form of relaxation and make time for it each day e.g. soothing music, reading or mindful meditation

Sleep and wake at the same time every day, even if your sleep pattern was disrupted. Without enough sleep condition such as stress, anxiety and depression can thrive.

Teams

Punjabi Legends Owners: Inzamam-ul-Haq and Intizar-ul-Haq; Key player: Misbah-ul-Haq

Pakhtoons Owners: Habib Khan and Tajuddin Khan; Key player: Shahid Afridi

Maratha Arabians Owners: Sohail Khan, Ali Tumbi, Parvez Khan; Key player: Virender Sehwag

Bangla Tigers Owners: Shirajuddin Alam, Yasin Choudhary, Neelesh Bhatnager, Anis and Rizwan Sajan; Key player: TBC

Colombo Lions Owners: Sri Lanka Cricket; Key player: TBC

Kerala Kings Owners: Hussain Adam Ali and Shafi Ul Mulk; Key player: Eoin Morgan

Venue Sharjah Cricket Stadium

Format 10 overs per side, matches last for 90 minutes

Timeline October 25: Around 120 players to be entered into a draft, to be held in Dubai; December 21: Matches start; December 24: Finals

ELIO

Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett

Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina

Rating: 4/5

Final results:

Open men
Australia 94 (4) beat New Zealand 48 (0)

Plate men
England 85 (3) beat India 81 (1)

Open women
Australia 121 (4) beat South Africa 52 (0)

Under 22 men
Australia 68 (2) beat New Zealand 66 (2)

Under 22 women
Australia 92 (3) beat New Zealand 54 (1)

Brahmastra%3A%20Part%20One%20-%20Shiva
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAyan%20Mukerji%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ERanbir%20Kapoor%2C%20Alia%20Bhatt%20and%20Amitabh%20Bachchan%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
'Saand Ki Aankh'

Produced by: Reliance Entertainment with Chalk and Cheese Films
Director: Tushar Hiranandani
Cast: Taapsee Pannu, Bhumi Pednekar, Prakash Jha, Vineet Singh
Rating: 3.5/5 stars

UPI facts

More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions

THE%20SPECS
%3Cp%3EBattery%3A%2060kW%20lithium-ion%20phosphate%3Cbr%3EPower%3A%20Up%20to%20201bhp%3Cbr%3E0%20to%20100kph%3A%207.3%20seconds%3Cbr%3ERange%3A%20418km%3Cbr%3EPrice%3A%20From%20Dh149%2C900%3Cbr%3EAvailable%3A%20Now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
AIDA%20RETURNS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ECarol%20Mansour%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAida%20Abboud%2C%20Carol%20Mansour%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203.5.%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Jetour T1 specs

Engine: 2-litre turbocharged

Power: 254hp

Torque: 390Nm

Price: From Dh126,000

Available: Now

Updated: February 07, 2024, 2:16 PM`