Prince William has begun making more public appearances since Kate Middleton returned to royal duties on Thursday.

It comes after the Prince of Wales and his son Prince George were spotted cheering for Aston Villa on their debut in a shocking announcement in late March.

According to royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams, the “perfectly timed” appearance proves that the royal family appears to be doing well and that things are returning to normal.

“The royals realize that everything they do sends a message in one way or another,” the expert told sun.

“It’s not just a matter of showing up at a pleasant occasion with George,” he explains. “The issue is to send a signal that it’s business as usual – as long as that’s a reasonable expectation.”

He continued: “It would be great if Catherine was there but no one expected that. People wouldn’t have thought of it after she posted the video message and I think it’s the most dramatic response from a British public figure on health issues. A brave one.”