Prince William has admitted that he felt overwhelmed at times last year as both Princess Kate and King Charles faced cancer diagnoses.

The Prince of Wales spoke candidly with actor Eugene Levy in a new episode of Apple TV’s The Reluctant Traveler, set to air on Friday.

In February 2024, Buckingham Palace confirmed that King Charles had been diagnosed with cancer. Just a month later, Princess Kate shared her own diagnosis in a heartfelt video message.

Family Stress and Overwhelm

Speaking with Mr Levy, William explained how family worries have weighed on him:
“You know, worry or stress around the family side of things that does overwhelm me quite a bit.

“But in terms of, you know, doing the job and things like that, I don’t feel too overwhelmed by that.

“Not now anyway, when I was younger, yeah, there are bits that overwhelm you, a bit like ‘wow are we actually doing this? Is this sort of happening?’ but with time and age, I think you feel a bit more settled in that side of things and you go, actually I can do that.

“And even if a few curve balls come in, that doesn’t necessarily overwhelm me.”

He added that family challenges are different:
“When it’s to do with family and things like that, then that’s where I start getting a bit overwhelmed – as I think most people would, because it’s more personal, it’s more about feeling, it’s more about upsetting the rhythm, if you like.”

Health Updates and Moving Forward

In January 2025, Princess Kate announced she was in remission, while King Charles continues to undergo treatment for his illness.

Reflecting on the difficulties, William shared:
“I’d say 2024 was the hardest year that I’ve ever had…I enjoy my job, but sometimes there are aspects of it such as the media, the speculation, you know the scrutiny, that make it a little bit harder than other jobs.

“It’s just making sure that doesn’t overtake and intrude into areas at times when you just want a bit of space, and a bit of peace and quiet.”

Balancing Duty and Family

The Prince of Wales also spoke about the importance of finding balance between his royal responsibilities and home life.

He told Apple TV:
“Getting the balance of work and family life right is really important.

“Because for me, the most important thing in my life is family, and everything is about the future and about if you don’t start the children off now with a happy, healthy, stable home, I feel you’re setting them up for a bit of a hard time and a fall.

“And so, it’s about making sure that we can look after our families, look after our children, in a way that is best for their future.”