Prince William has pulled out of attending a memorial service at Windsor Castle for his godfather, the late King Constantine of Greece, because of an unspecified personal matter, his office said.

He had been due to give a reading at the service.

The palace declined to give any further details, but it comes after his wife Kate, 42, underwent abdominal surgery last month. However, a royal source said Kate was continuing to do well.

It is rare, but not unheard of, for the British royals to pull out of an engagement. William had called his family to let them know he would be unable to attend, the source said.

Kate, 42, was admitted to the private London Clinic in January for planned surgery.

No details of her illness or surgery have been given, but she continues to focus on her recovery the palace has previously said.

Following Kate’s operation, William, the 41-year-old heir to the throne, postponed official duties to care for her and their three children, before resuming public engagements earlier this month.

His absence comes as his father King Charles is also absent from his public role as he undergoes treatment for an unspecified form of cancer.

After the king announced his cancer diagnosis in early February, William took centre stage of royal public duties.

“I’d like to take this opportunity to say thank you … for the kind messages of support for Catherine and for my father … It means a great deal to us all,” William said following the king’s diagnosis.

Another royal source said there was no connection between William’s personal matter and the king’s health.

In Charles’ absence, his wife Camilla has become the most senior royal performing engagements as she was due to be accompanied by other royals at the service at Windsor Castle for the late King Constantine, a relation of the British royals, who died aged 82 in January last year and was a relation of William’s grandfather.

Reuters