Prince William Is in 'Frightening Proximity' to the Throne as King Charles Undergoes Cancer Treatment

King Charles and Kate Middleton are currently fighting cancer, and His Majesty's condition is causing the Princess of Wales and Prince William to think about their future roles as king and queen earlier than they anticipated.

“The almost simultaneous news of Charles’ cancer has put William and Catherine in frightening proximity to ascending the throne just when they had hoped for a span of years to parent their children out of the public eye,” journalist Tina Brown wrote in an essay.

“The prospect of it, I am told, is causing them intense anxiety,” she added.

Kate is a beloved member of The Crown, and Brown claimed the institution's success is dependent on her.

“Catherine is the most popular member of the royal family after William,” she penned. “The future of the monarchy hangs by a thread, and that thread is her.”

“A tidal wave of premature responsibility is crashing in her and William’s direction,” she continued. “Frozen, unready and with Catherine now seriously unwell, the Prince and Princess of Wales await the awesome burden of The Crown.”

On Friday, March 22, Kate returned to Instagram to update the public on her health.

"I wanted to take this opportunity to say thank you personally for all the wonderful messages of support and understanding whilst I've been recovering from surgery," Kate began. "It has been an incredibly tough couple of months for our entire family. In January, I underwent major abdominal surgery in London. At the time, it was thought that my condition was non-cancerous. The surgery was successful, however, tests after the operation found cancer had been present. My medical team therefore advised I should undergo preventive chemotherapy, and I am now in the early stages of that treatment."

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The Princess of Wales continued: "This of course comes as a huge shock, and William and I have been doing everything we can to process and manage this for our young family. It has taken my time for me to recover from my surgery. Most importantly, it has taken us time to explain to George, Charlotte and Louis and to reassure them I am going to be OK. As I've said to them, I am well. Having William by my side is a great source of comfort, and the love and support and kindness that has been shown from so many of you. As a family, we need some time, space and privacy while I complete my treatment. My work has always brought me a deep sense of joy. I must focus on making a full recovery. At this time, I am also thinking of those whose lives have been affected by cancer. Please do not lose faith or hope. You are not alone."

Since then, Kate has been taking some time off.

"Kate got her priorities right by talking to the family and children first, and then telling everybody what is wrong, what sort of treatment she's getting and that she's getting stronger and hopes to be back soon," expert Dickie Arbiter noted.

Brown wrote for The New York Times.