Prince William's Summer Vacation Officially Ends

Prince William's summer vacation is only with his wife Kate Middleton and their three children, while the princess continues her cancer-prevention treatments.

On August 22, Kensington Palace announced that Prince William will return to a full royal work schedule, beginning with a public visit to a homeless shelter: a visit to the “Reframed” exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery in London.

The visit is scheduled for September 5 and is intended to draw attention to the exhibit, which, according to People, “highlights the complexities of homelessness across the UK and provides the public with an opportunity to better understand the stories of affected individuals.”

According to the magazine, the Crown Prince's visit will be his first public appearance since July 14, when Prince William attended the UEFA European Championship final with his son, Prince George.

While it is historically typical for senior royals to take a slight “break” from many public appearances during the summer months, Prince William and Princess Kate were particularly absent from the public eye following the Princess of Wales' cancer diagnosis.

Only in May, nearly five months after Middleton's hospitalization for abdominal surgery, did Prince William spend his first day and night away from his family to attend a mandatory royal function in Newquay and the Isles of Scilly.

Shortly after the announcement that the Princess of Wales had been diagnosed with cancer, royal sources said that Prince William felt “helpless and scared,” which in turn led to a change in schedule to better support his wife and three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis No doubt influenced the royal family's decision.

“William is trying to be there for Kate and help her as much as he can,” a source told Us Weekly at the time.

“He spends afternoons and evenings with the kids, doing schoolwork with them.”

Meanwhile, reports have long pointed out that Princess Kate's return to public royal life has been delayed and may be forever changed as she continues to prioritize her own health and well-being over the needs of the monarchy.

In what many have called the “toughest year” of Kate and Prince William's lives, the latest reports indicate that Princess Kate may even be leaving full-time royal duties altogether.

According to an insider who spoke to RadarOnline.com, Middleton “may not return” to a full-time role within the monarchy. The same source suggested that the princess would “reevaluate” her role and the amount of duties she would resume after her cancer treatment.

“Princess Catherine continues chemotherapy in serious ill health, and while she is very aware of her role, her priorities have naturally changed significantly,” journalist Dan Wootton told the outlet.

“We're not going to see a series of engagements, so if she can't get engaged there will be great drama about it,” the source added.