What to expect from the royal family's Easter weekend - Kate is absent, but Charles is present.

The royal family's traditional Easter traditions will be held without Kate Middleton this year following her cancer diagnosis, although King Charles III, who was also diagnosed with cancer last month, is expected to attend Sunday after a week of health problems that have kept him away from public events.

Buckingham Palace told reporters at TIME Magazine that Kate, who announced on March 22 that cancer was discovered after her January abdominal surgery, will not attend church with the royal family during the Great Week of Easter.

The British tabloid newspaper Daily Mirror reported that Kate, William, and their three children will spend Easter at Sandringham estate in Norfolk, citing a "source in the royal family."

Traditionally, the royal family gathers at Windsor Castle on Easter Sunday and takes a short walk to St. George's Church, where crowds gather to greet them. Buckingham Palace informed the BBC that Charles will participate in the traditional church service along with Queen Camilla and other senior members of the royal family, marking his most significant appearance since his cancer diagnosis.

Charles missed the Maundy Thursday service at Worcester Cathedral this week, a traditional appearance of the king during the Easter holidays, and Camilla attended in his place. Instead, Charles recorded an Easter message in which he emphasized the importance of friendship and caring for one another, although he did not directly address the health issues concerning himself or Kate.

When will Kate return to her public duties? Kensington Palace has not yet announced when the Princess of Wales will resume her public engagements. Before her cancer diagnosis, there was much speculation about Kate's possible return to public appearances during the Easter period. In January, the palace announced that she was likely to return to public events after Easter, citing medical advice, but following her diagnosis, Kate stated that she is undergoing preventive chemotherapy and her family needs "time, space, and privacy," which will likely extend her absence from royal duties.

Before Kate announced her diagnosis, The Telegraph, citing a palace source, reported that Kate might take a family walk to church with the royal family on Easter.

What should we expect? Some have speculated that William and Kate might briefly return to the spotlight on April 23, on the birthday of their son Louis. Kate traditionally takes and shares photos of her children on each of their birthdays, but last year she was only seen in a photo for Louis's fifth birthday, which was taken by another photographer. The photo is likely to be scrutinized closely after Kate's admission that she edited a photo she posted on March 10 in honor of Mother's Day. The photo was retracted by major news agencies, and one of the largest news agencies in the world, Agence France-Presse, stated that Buckingham Palace is no longer a "reliable source" following the Photoshop scandal.

The main information is that Charles and Kate announced their cancer diagnoses this year, although the royal family did not disclose the type or stage of the cancer. According to palace sources, doctors discovered the cancer after various medical procedures - Charles underwent treatment for an enlarged prostate, while Kate had abdominal surgery in January.

Kate's long absence from public life has sparked widespread speculation about her whereabouts: her last public appearance was on Christmas with the royal family, and she had not been seen until blurry paparazzi photos emerged in March, where her face was obscured. On March 18, TMZ and The Sun published a video that apparently showed William and Kate visiting a Windsor farm shop, although Kensington Palace declined to comment on the video, and many believed that it was not actually Kate and William.

In two days, the British privacy protection agency announced that it is investigating reports of a breach of Kate's medical records after at least one employee of a London clinic attempted to access her medical information.

Kate announced her cancer diagnosis in a video message on March 22, which prompted words of support from world leaders and other members of the royal family.

Further reading: Kate Middleton Timeline: The Princess of Wales was "deeply touched" by public support after her cancer diagnosis (Forbes) Kate Middleton confirms cancer diagnosis in new video – in the early stages of chemotherapy (Forbes) The King will participate in the Easter church service in Windsor (BBC).