The past two years have been some of the most difficult in recent royal history.
In early 2024, both Princess Kate Middleton and King Charles III faced cancer diagnoses within weeks of each other, a revelation that placed enormous strain on Prince William as he balanced his royal role with protecting his young family.
Kate’s Health Battle
In January 2024, Kate underwent major abdominal surgery at The London Clinic, initially thought to be for a non-cancerous condition. But by March, she released a heartfelt video message revealing she was receiving preventative chemotherapy following the procedure.
“It has been an incredibly tough couple of months for our entire family,” she shared at the time, thanking Prince William for his unwavering support and acknowledging the challenge of explaining her illness to their children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.
Kate withdrew from public life for much of the year to focus on recovery. In September, she quietly finished chemotherapy, and in January 2025 she announced the long-hoped-for milestone: she was in remission.
While the news brought relief, Kate was careful to stress that remission did not mean the struggle was behind her. During a royal visit in July 2025, she admitted: “Treatment’s done, then it’s like, ‘I can crack on, get back to normal.’ But actually, the phase afterwards is really, really difficult. You have to find your new normal, and it takes time. It’s a rollercoaster.”
The King’s Diagnosis
Just weeks after Kate’s announcement, King Charles, then 75, revealed his own cancer diagnosis. It followed treatment for an enlarged prostate, though Buckingham Palace confirmed it was not prostate cancer. The exact type has never been disclosed.
Now 76, the King continues with outpatient treatment, including a brief hospital stay earlier this year, while still carrying out state duties and public engagements whenever possible.
Prince William’s Burden
For Prince William, navigating his wife’s illness alongside his father’s was, in his own words, “the hardest year” of his life. While supporting royal responsibilities, he also worked to shield his children from the turmoil.
“Honestly? It’s been dreadful. From a personal family point of view, it’s been brutal,” he admitted last year.
In a rare and open conversation with actor Eugene Levy for Apple TV+’s The Reluctant Traveler, William gave a long-awaited update on both Kate and Charles. Speaking at Windsor Castle, he reassured: “Yes, things are good. Everything is progressing in the right way, which is all good news.”
Family Resilience
Still, the Prince acknowledged the lingering weight of the past year. “It was important my family felt protected and had the space to process a lot of what went on last year – and that was tricky while keeping up with the job.”
He revealed that George, Charlotte, and Louis have been adapting in their own ways: “Everyone has their own coping mechanisms for these sorts of things, and children are constantly learning and adapting. We try to make sure we give them the security and safety they need. We’re a very open family, so we talk about things that bother us and trouble us. But you never quite know the knock-on effects that it can have. It’s just important to be there for each other and reassure the children that everything is okay.”
Looking back, William expressed admiration for both his wife and his father: “I’m so proud of my wife, I’m proud of my father, for handling the things that they have done.”
