The Prince of Wales has said he is optimistic that his wife Princess Kate will have recovered enough from her cancer treatment to join him on overseas engagements next year.
He made the revelation during an interview with UK print media in South Africa after concluding his visit in support of the Earthshot Prize Awards.
© Getty ImagesLooking to the future after a "brutal year", the future King said: "I think hopefully Catherine will be doing a bit more next year, so we'll have some more trips maybe lined up."
Elsewhere, he spoke about his three children Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, nine, and Prince Louis, six, and their future roles.
© Getty ImagesWhen asked whether the sibling trio would join William on more public engagements, the royal father said: "Family-wise, you'll have to wait a little bit longer because obviously they're at school and I think that takes priority over everything else."
King Charles's eldest son also spoke about how he sees his role evolving in the coming years, with more of a focus on "helping people".
"It's hard to describe what that is all about, but I can only describe what I'm trying to do, and that I'm trying to do it differently and I'm trying to do it for my generation," William said.
© Getty Images"And to give you more an understanding around it, I'm doing it with maybe a smaller 'r' in the royal, if you like, that's maybe a better way of saying it."
Of his philanthropic work, he continued: "It's more about impact philanthropy, collaboration, convening, and helping people.
© Getty Images"And I'm also going to throw empathy in there as well, because I really care about what I do. It helps impact people's lives. And I think we could do with some more empathetic leadership around the world.
"So that's what I'm trying to bring, that's what Catherine is trying to bring as well... And I sit here right now doing Earthshot and doing all the projects I'm doing, like Homewards as well. And who knows what's going to come next, but it all centres around those values of trying to help deliver change and make those lives better."
Earthshot Prize Awards
Earlier this week, Prince William joined a galaxy of stars on the green carpet at the annual Earthshot Prize Awards in Cape Town.
© Getty ImagesThe glittering awards ceremony, which celebrates innovative ideas to "repair the planet" took place in a sustainable eco-dome, where guests included supermodels Heidi Klum and Winnie Harlow, and actor Billy Porter.
Take a look at his speech in the video below...
William founded the Earthshot Prize in 2020 - an ambitious project that presents five category winners each year with £1 million each to scale up their environmental ideas.
The five categories, or Earthshots are: protect and restore nature; clean our air; revive our oceans; build a waste-free world; and fix our climate.
