Prince William has pulled out of attending a memorial service for Greece’s late King Constantine due to “a personal matter,” according to Kensington Palace.
“Unfortunately, The Prince of Wales is no longer able to attend the King Constantine Memorial Service this morning due to a personal matter,” the palace told NBC News in a statement Feb. 27.
The late King Constantine of Greece, who died in January 2023, was William’s godfather.
The palace would not provide any further details why William will miss the event, but did say William’s wife, Catherine, Princess of Wales, “continues to be doing well” after she underwent abdominal surgery last month.
The palace released a statement on Jan. 29 saying she had left the hospital, which was the same day her father-in-law, King Charles III, was discharged after undergoing a corrective treatment for a benign, enlarged prostate. Buckingham Palace would later reveal the king has been diagnosed with cancer, which was caught during the procedure.
“The Princess of Wales has returned home to Windsor to continue her recovery from surgery. She is making good progress,” Kensington Palace said in its Jan. 29 statement after she underwent her procedure.
“The Prince and Princess wish to say a huge thank you to the entire team at The London Clinic, especially the dedicated nursing staff, for the care they have provided. The Wales family continues to be grateful for the well wishes they have received from around the world.”
Earlier this month, William attended the 2024 BAFTAs without his wife, while she recovered from surgery. His wife's absence from the event was not a surprise.
Following her surgery and before she returned home, Kensington Palace released a statement Jan. 17 saying she would remain in recovery for several weeks.
“Based on the current medical advice, she is unlikely to return to public duties until after Easter,” the palace said at the time.