The Prince of Wales and Queen Camilla appear to have grown closer in recent weeks as they take on more duties amid the double-hit of their partners’ health battles.

The Queen and Prince William were seen sharing a giggle as they led the royals at the Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey while King Charles continued to recover from cancer.

As far as the public knew, Princess Kate was absent as she was recovering from abdominal surgery she received in January.

But behind the scenes, William was putting on a brave face as his wife battled cancer, along with facing the increasingly outlandish conspiracy theories swirling around the internet as to her whereabouts.

With the King and the Princess out of action, the Queen and the heir have shouldered the added burdens of a trimmed-down royal family.

The pair have had a strained relationship for many years, but seem to have grown closer and reportedly keep in regular phone contact in recent weeks.

The Queen and Prince William were seen sharing a giggle as they led the royals at the Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey while King Charles continued to recover

Prince William and Camilla smiled together as the Commonwealth Day service began

King Charles warmly greets Kate during an event at the Royal Albert Hall in September 2021

The Queen walked side by side with the Prince of Wales in Westminster Abbey this month

Queen Camilla, the Prince of Wales, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh and the Princess Royal watch a dance performance during the annual Commonwealth Day Service

Queen Camilla and the Prince of Wales are leading the royals in the absence of their partners

READ MORE – Kate wrote her entire cancer battle speech ‘by herself, very quickly’: Princess of Wales wanted to ‘quell further gossip and health speculation’ and felt it was her duty to open up and reassure the publicADVERTISEMENT

Many noted the warmth between Queen Camilla and the Prince of Wales as they walked shoulder to shoulder at the Commonwealth Day service this month.

As Camilla approached, William was seen to say ‘hello’ to his stepmother before moving forward to kiss her on both cheeks.

They smiled and chatted as they stood side by side ready for the national anthem to be played.

Royal expert Hugo Vickers told MailOnline: ‘It falls to Queen Camilla and to some extent Prince William to be the public face of the monarchy.

‘The Queen is doing much the same as the Queen Mother did between 1948 and 1952, when George VI was ill.

‘Prince William has a yet more complicated role as he needs to spend time with Catherine and the children.

‘It is a time for all the “Working Royals” to pull together in unison – that is what they are so good at – being supportive – and I am sure we will see lots of Camilla and William together – as we did in Westminster Abbey for the Commonwealth Observance.’

Ex-BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond also told OK! magazine that recent events have brought William and Camilla ‘much closer’ as they are left ‘nursing the Crown’ while their partners recover.

She added: ‘I’m sure they will have been an emotional help to one another as well.’

And said there is now a ‘real warmth and affection’ between them as they both put on a ‘brave face to the world’.

It was reported yesterday that King Charles ‘toddled’ to his daughter-in-law’s bedside in his dressing robe as they both recovered from surgery at the London Clinic.

The King is continuing his battle with cancer as his ‘beloved daughter-in-law’ the Princess of Wales revealed she is also fighting the disease. Pictured February 4, 2024

Sitting on a bench at Windsor, surrounded by spring flowers, the Princess has taken the extraordinary step of revealing to the world that she has cancer

Both inpatients at the prestigious clinic in Marylebone, north London, the King was seen visiting Kate as they both dealt with their health battles.

At the time, Princess Kate had undergone major abdominal surgery – not thought to be for a malign condition – but post-operative tests found signs of cancer.

READ MORE – Monarch ‘toddled in dressing robe’ to visit Princess of Wales to ‘encourage and support her’ while they recovered from their surgeries and held private lunch this week the day before her cancer announcement

The idea of the sprightly King comforting his daughter-in-law – as they both dealt with major health curveballs – will warm the hearts of millions across the nation.

It was also revealed last night how the pair had a lunch together the day before Kate made her announcement to the world.

A source told The Sun it was held at Windsor Castle and had only between the two Royals.

They added: ‘They would have had lots to discuss and share because just weeks earlier the King had begun his course of treatment and dealt with announcing his diagnosis.

‘The King left his lunch feeling very emotional. They are very close and he thinks of Catherine as his daughter.

‘There is no doubt there is a lot they can share and can use each other for support during their own deeply personal cancer battles.’

The illness suffered by their spouses means Prince William and Queen Camilla have forged a closer bond, royal experts have claimed

King Charles III and Queen Camilla depart The London Clinic in central London where he had undergone prostate surgery on January 29, 2024