The sovereign and his son might not be seen as regularly until after July 4

King Charles and Prince William are changing their calendars amid a political shakeup in the U.K.

The King, 75, and Prince of Wales, 41, will no longer be making engagements slated for the rest of the week after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called for a surprise general election on July 4.

Charles had an outing planned for May 23 and two more on May 24. The palace hopes to reschedule the stops. William also had a royal outing scheduled for this week that was abruptly canceled. The royal family will continue to postpone engagements “which may appear to divert attention or distract from the election campaign,” Buckingham Palace said in a statement on May 22.

The canceled outings come amid Charles’ recent return to public-facing duties amid his cancer treatment. William’s wife Kate Middleton has also taken a step back from public outings amid her cancer diagnosis.

While members of the royal family historically do not get involved in politics, they do shift their schedules amid elections. Adjusting the schedule during election campaigns is standard practice. The palace aims to ensure the public’s attention remains on the election and the key issues it presents.

U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announces a general election during a press conference outside 10 Downing Street in London on May 22, 2024. JOSE SARMENTO MATOS/BLOOMBERG VIA GETTY

It’s also important that the royals aren’t questioned on political matters while they are on outings.

While it remains to be seen what the next six weeks might look like for working royals like King Charles and Prince William, a Buckingham Palace spokesman said that the royal family will postpone engagements that could be seen as a conflict amid the election.

“Their Majesties send their sincere apologies to any of those who may be affected as a result,” the spokesperson said.
Events commemorating the 80th anniversary of the D-Day Landings, including King Charles’ first overseas trip since he announced his cancer diagnosis in February, are expected to go on as scheduled, while others are under review and will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. Expectations around classic June events on the royal calendar like Trooping the Colour and Order of the Garter Day remain unclear.

King Charles (center) poses with winners of the Prince’s Trust Awards at Buckingham Palace on May 22, 2024. CHRIS JACKSON/GETTY

Prince William and King Charles both stepped out for work on the day of the election announcement. The Prince of Wales helmed a morning investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle on behalf of his father the King, and King Charles hosted an afternoon reception for the winners of The Prince Trust Awards 2024 at Buckingham Palace.

The King congratulated winners of the awards recognizing youth who have succeeded against the odds and made a positive difference in their local communities, supporting the charity he founded as the Prince of Wales in 1976. The Prince’s Trust U.K. is transitioning to an even more regal name — The King’s Trust — and the sovereign showed off his fist-bump when mingling with DJ Tyler West.

Britain’s King Charles III (R) reacts as he fists bumps with Tyler West during a ceremony for the Prince’s Trust Award 2024

Tyler West and King Charles share a fist bump at the Prince’s Trust Awards reception at Buckingham Palace on May 22, 2024. CHRIS JACKSON / POOL / AFP VIA GETTY

King Charles resumed forward-facing royal duties on April 30 following the announcement of his cancer diagnosis and treatment on Feb. 5, and has alluded that he’s thrilled to be back to public engagements. The sovereign said during a May 9 stop at the Royal School of Military Engineering that he was glad to be “out of my cage,” likely referring to the interim period of small audiences and meetings from February to late April.

Prince William, meanwhile, tapped some of his first cousins for support in hosting a Buckingham Palace garden party on May 21, while Princess Kate remains outside of the spotlight while receiving cancer treatment.

Prince William at the Buckingham Palace garden party on May 21, 2024. YUI MOK/POOL/AFP VIA GETTY