You might think that outside the queen, the members of Britain's royal family might have a pretty cushy life. Appearances. Charities. Parties. Balls. Living it up.

Well, Prince William turned that idea upside-down Thursday, when he and his new wife showed up to open a new cancer ward for children.

William came straight to the event after getting off a 24-hour shift as a Royal Air Force search-and-rescue helicopter pilot, a shift that included two rescues. According to reports, he covered 1,000 miles: flying a sailor off a ship to see a sick relative and then to get to someone with head injuries. Anyone else, it's time to sack out. But Lt. Wales had his day job to fulfill. Even if they are ceremonial duties, it's hard to let down kids battling cancer.