‘Happy Father’s Day, Pa’ – William’s message to King day after Kate’s return

The Prince of Wales has shared a photo of him playing football with the King to mark Father’s Day.

The photo of William and Charles together in the gardens of Kensington Palace was taken on June 12 1984.

“Happy Father’s Day, Pa,” the social media post, personally signed by William, said.

The photo taken by the PA news agency shows an almost two-year-old William in short dungarees and a stripey blue top and the King in a grey double-breasted suit kicking a small football.

Later that same year William would gain a younger brother, with the Duke of Sussex born in September.

It comes after Charles’s official birthday celebrations on Saturday, where the Princess of Wales made her first public appearance this year.

Kate looked relaxed during her first day in the spotlight following her cancer diagnosis for the traditional Trooping the Colour ceremony.

With the King also suffering from cancer, it was a rare joint public outing for the entire family after a period of uncertainty.

She rode to the event in a carriage with her children, while William, the Princess Royal, and the Duke of Edinburgh were on horseback.

The King also rode in a carriage with the Queen, a departure from last year because of his illness.

Kate and members of the royal family were cheered when they were first spotted in The Mall.

Both Kate and Charles have thanked the public for their support after going public with their illnesses, with Kate saying she had been “blown away” by the “kind messages” that had made a “world of difference to William and me and has helped us both through some of the harder times”.

William’s Father’s Day message follows what has been a difficult year for the royal family.

The prince has balanced supporting his wife and family with maintaining his official duties.

Kate was initially admitted to hospital for abdominal surgery on January 16 and at the time her condition was thought to be non-cancerous, but cancer was found following the successful operation.

Charles was admitted to hospital just days after Kate, also for a procedure deemed unrelated to cancer.

In February, Buckingham Palace confirmed that he had been diagnosed with a form of cancer, which is not prostate cancer, that was discovered while the King was being treated at the private London Clinic for an enlarged prostate.

Charles initially postponed public-facing duties but resumed at the end of April, speaking of his “shock” at being diagnosed with cancer as he met patients during a visit to University College Hospital Macmillan Cancer Centre in central London.