Will Prince William Postpone Royal Duties During Kate Middleton's Cancer Treatment?

"We hope that you will understand that, as a family, we now need some time, space and privacy while I complete my treatment," Princess Kate said in the video message about her health news

Prince William will be there for his wife Kate Middleton as she receives cancer treatment.

The Princess of Wales, 42, announced on Friday that she is undergoing treatment for cancer and has commenced a course of preventative chemotherapy, raising the question of whether Prince William, 41, will continue with royal work.

"The Prince will continue to balance supporting his wife and family and maintaining his official duties as he has done since the start of the year," a Kensington Palace spokesperson said.

The Prince of Wales may wait a few weeks to return to royal duty, as Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 8, and Prince Louis, 5, are currently off from school during a half-term break for the Easter holiday. Princess Kate may have strategically waited to publicly announce the news about her health until her children were out of the classroom to create space for her family to have private time together.

Related: Kate Middleton Reveals Cancer Diagnosis: Live Updates

Meanwhile, Princess Kate will return to work in accordance with advice from her medical team.

"The Princess will return to official duties when she is cleared to do so by her medical team. She is in good spirits and is focused on making a full recovery," a Kensington Palace spokesperson said on Friday.

After Kensington Palace announced on Jan. 17 that Princess Kate had "planned abdominal surgery" the day prior, Prince William cleared his calendar to support his wife and keep things as normal as possible for Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. The Prince of Wales returned to work on Feb. 7 after his wife was settled at home following a stay at the hospital where she had surgery (which came two days after Buckingham Palace announced that King Charles was diagnosed with cancer).

"We know they are a very tight family unit, and he wants to be there for them, " Robert Hardman, author of The Making of a King: King Charles III and the Modern Monarchy, previously told PEOPLE about Prince William.

Related: A Complete Timeline of Kate Middleton's Abdominal Surgery and Cancer Diagnosis

The Princess of Wales referenced her husband and children in the personal video message about her health news, where she described the diagnosis as a "huge shock."

"In January, I underwent major abdominal surgery in London and at the time, it was thought that my condition was non-cancerous. The surgery was successful," Princess Kate said in the message, referencing the abdominal surgery that the palace announced that she had had in January. "However, tests after the operation found cancer had been present. My medical team therefore advised that I should undergo a course of preventative chemotherapy and I am now in the early stages of that treatment."

"This of course came as a huge shock, and William and I have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family," she continued, referencing her husband of 12 years and their three kids.

Princess Kate said she and Prince William prioritized taking time "to explain everything to George, Charlotte and Louis in a way that is appropriate for them, and to reassure them that I am going to be ok."

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The Princess of Wales added that she was "getting stronger every day" by focusing on what would help her heal, praised Prince William as "a great source of comfort and reassurance" and asked for continued privacy.

"We hope that you will understand that, as a family, we now need some time, space and privacy while I complete my treatment," she said. 

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