King Charles, Princess Kate have cancer. How will Prince William cope moving forward?

Two high-ranking members of Britain's royal family are battling cancer, which has raised questions about how the heir to the throne, Prince William, will fare.

In recent months, the Prince of Wales has remained committed to his royal duties, while Princess Kate and King Charles III have been forced to step back. That's expected to continue after Kate revealed Friday that, like her father-in-law, she has been diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer.

Kate and Charles had been hospitalized earlier this year, she for abdominal surgery and he for a procedure for an enlarged prostate. Then, their cancer diagnoses shocked the public.

In 1997, William and Prince Harry's beloved mother, Princess Diana, died at age 36 in a car accident in Paris. Since then, both brothers have been open about their grief.

Now, nearly 30 years later, it remains to be seen how William will face the cancer diagnoses of Charles, 75, and wife Kate, 42.

But with the Prince of Wales next in line to the throne, experts believe William will carry on "business as usual."

Prince William, Camilla take charge amid King Charles' absence. Is it sustainable?

Experts say Prince William has 'weight of the world' on his shoulders

In February, royal observer Rachel Bowie told USA TODAY the pressure on William had "never been greater" after his father postponed carrying out public duties.

William had to "carry the weight," Bowie said.

Now we know that William has the added pressure of his father and wife both battling cancer. The "weight of the world" seems to fall on William's shoulders as he balances royal duties with supporting his family, royal commentator and host of the "To Di For Daily" podcast, Kinsey Schofield, told USA TODAY via email.

After Kate made her last official public appearance in December before having surgery in January, Kensington Palace said she would remain out of the public eye until after Easter. But the media and public zeroed in on William and his family after it was revealed that a photo Kate shared on social media had been manipulated.

That fueled conspiracy theories about her health and her whereabouts. Amid the online speculation, TMZ published a video showing William and Kate shopping in Windsor. Rumors about a purported affair between Prince William and Rose Hanbury, the Marchioness of Cholmondeley, also picked up steam.

William now finds himself in "an almost impossible situation," says Kathryn Lamontagne, a lecturer at Boston University.

Public scrutiny of Kate may be 'reawakening' traumatic memories for William

According to experts, the public's obsession with Kate's health may trigger William's painful memories of his mother.

"It is my understanding that Prince William is having a challenging time with the violation of privacy that his family is currently experiencing," Schofield said, adding that the intense scrutiny around Kate "is a reminder of how Prince William grew up followed by paparazzi and seeing both parents splashed across the front of newspapers."

Pauline Maclaran, a professor at the Royal Holloway University of London, tells USA TODAY via email that "this is certainly an incredibly difficult time for William."

"It must be reawakening lots of traumatic memories around his mother's death along with feelings of how easily life events can threaten to get out of control."

Royal commentator Schofield adds that it has to be an "unbelievably lonely time" for William, who has a small circle around him to maintain privacy and is now dealing with a "sadness he likely has not experienced since the death of his mother."

William is likely experiencing this all without his brother, Harry, physically by his side.

Harry, who now resides in California with his wife, Duchess Meghan, has spent a limited amount of time in the U.K. since he stepped back from royal duties in 2020.

After their father's cancer diagnosis in February, Harry paid a brief visit to the king. After Kate's health news, Harry and Meghan said they "wish health and healing for Kate and the family, and hope they are able to do so privately and in peace."

William likely to 'keep the show on the road,' carry out 'business as usual'

Amid his wife and father's health struggles, William has stepped up and attended numerous public events alone, including the Commonwealth Day service in March.

In January, though, he took a step back from royal duties after Kate's hospitalization. In a video announcing her cancer diagnosis Friday, Kate said it has been a "great source of comfort and reassurance" to have William by her side.

"It is known that he believes that he must put his family first – in contrast to his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, who put the crown first, and we have seen this at the start of Kate's illness when he took time off to be by her side," Maclaran told USA TODAY.

"I believe his attitude in this respect has gained public approval, and in modern times people expect familial concerns to take precedence."

King Charles III praises Princess Kate after cancer diagnosis: 'So proud of Catherine'

From now on, William will "very much be trying to keep the show on the road" as he stands in for the king, Maclaran adds.

In a statement Sunday from Kensington Palace, Kate and William said they were "enormously touched by the kind messages" and grateful "for the understanding of their request for privacy at this time."

But might William take another step back or open up publicly about this challenging period?

That's unlikely. Lamontagne tells USA TODAY that William missing his godfather's memorial service in February may be "as much as we're going to see of him caving into the realities" of his loved ones' illnesses.

"He seems to be taking a page out of the playbook of his grandmother with being stoic and carrying on with business as usual," Lamontagne said, suggesting William will probably not make an emotional public statement or reach out for support like his brother, Harry, might do in his shoes.

"Prince William has made it clear that is not the kind of person that he is. His emotions are not out there for public fodder."

Contributing: Naledi Ushe

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kate Middleton cancer: Prince William faces pressure, Diana trauma