Prince William returns to royal duties to stand in for King Charles III

LONDON, Feb. 7 (UPI) -- Britain's Prince William carried out his first official duty standing in for King Charles III on Wednesday, officiating at an investiture ceremony on behalf of his unwell father at Windsor Castle.

William, who has been away from royal duties for almost a month supporting his wife, Kate, princess of Wales, who is recovering from major abdominal surgery, bestowed more than 50 knighthoods and other state honors.

Recipients included England record women's soccer goal scorer Ellen White, who received a Member of the Order of the British Empire honor for services to the game.

Meanwhile, the king was at his Sandringham estate in Norfolk having flown there by helicopter Tuesday afternoon after a visit at Clarence House from Prince Harry, who had flown overnight from California to see his father.

The pair spent 45 minutes together at Charles' official residence on The Mall in Westminster. The meeting was seen as a "significant" reconciliatory step, coming a little more than 24 hours after Buckingham Palace announced the king had cancer and had begun treatment.

Harry reportedly, however, has no plans to meet his elder brother, William, while in the country.

The king has opted to spend time between treatments at a London hospital for his undisclosed cancer at Sandringham. But he will continue to work with the trademark red boxes containing government business the monarch is required to review and sign being brought to him daily at the north Norfolk estate, 110 miles north of London.

On Tuesday, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak revealed that Charles' cancer had been "caught early" and that he was expected to recover. He said that while he was "shocked and saddened" by the diagnosis, he had been in contact with the king and did not expect their work to be affected.

Kate also remains out of action at Windsor Castle, where she is recuperating after being discharged Jan. 29 from the same London hospital where the king spent three days being treated for an enlarged prostate at the same time.

She is not expected to return to royal duties until April.