Prince William Appears in Public for First Time Since Wife Kate Middleton Left the Hospital

Prince William is back on the (solo) royal engagement trail. 

While his wife, Kate Middleton, recovers at home after undergoing abdominal surgery and his father, King Charles, receives treatment following his cancer diagnosis, the Prince of Wales, 41, is returning to the public eye with an engagement in London. This is William’s first appearance since Princess Catherine's return home.

Per Sky News, the royal hosted an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle, where he awarded honors like CBEs, OBEs and MBEs to recipients for their continued work and public service. One of the honorees was Ellen Convery (commonly known as Ellen White), a record goalscorer for the English women’s soccer team. 

In a series of photos shared on the official Instagram account Prince William shares with his wife, the future king can be seen putting medals on the honorees’ clothes. The caption read, “Honouring amazing people doing incredible things in our communities up and down the country.”

This latest public engagement comes just days after Princess Catherine was discharged from the hospital after undergoing abdominal surgery. In a statement released by Kensington Palace on January 29, it stated the Princess of Wales is making “good progress.”

“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 message continued. “The Wales family continues to be grateful for the well wishes they have received from around the world.”