Prince William's Absence From Kate Middleton Video Doesn't Ease Our Doubts About Him

Ever since Kate Middleton shared a heart-wrenching video confirming her cancer diagnosis on March 22, 2024, fans have been sending their well-wishes to the future queen. Many royal watchers have also been re-watching the sad clip for clues that might provide insight into Kate really is doing amid her health crisis, as well as turning their attention to Catherine, Princess of Wales' husband, William, Prince of Wales.

There's no doubt that William has also been having a very tough time of things recently. Mere weeks before Kate confirmed her tragic diagnosis, his father, King Charles, was also diagnosed with cancer. Not to mention, Kate's absence from the spotlight only caused a serious amount of speculation to mount regarding exactly where she was and what she was really doing. The secrecy from the royals also led to allegations that William supposedly once had an affair with Rose Hanbury, which first arose in 2019, resurfacing. At the same time, there have also been a lot of queries about where the royal children have been. 

While it now makes a lot more sense why William shunned the press before Kate shared her news with the world, his absence from his wife's touching video hasn't exactly eased everyone's doubts about him and how he's coping. In fact, many took to social media to speculate about William's state of mind.

After Kate Middleton shared her video, fans began to speculate on the meaning behind Prince William's absence from the clip. "Why wasn't Kate Middleton's loving husband Prince William sitting beside her for an important announcement?" one fan asked on X, previously known as Twitter. "William should have been sitting WITH Catherine, comforting her, showing solidarity with his wife. Where IS William?," another X user asked. However, other royal fans speculated maybe William was on hand for his wife during such a difficult moment, but wanted to give her space to speak for herself. "Did it ever occur to you that maybe Catherine wanted to do the video alone, and that William was waiting off camera in case she needed support?" one royal watcher suggested on X. Notably, Kate did speak about her husband, even though he wasn't on camera with her. After weeks of speculation about the state of their marriage, Kate shared, "Having William by my side is a great source of comfort and reassurance."

William, Prince of Wales, is yet to officially speak publicly regarding Kate's diagnosis and how the family is coping. However, despite everything going on in his private life, a palace spokesperson told People that William still plans to carry on with his royal work as Kate recovers. "[William] will continue to balance supporting his wife and family and maintaining his official duties as he has done since the start of the year," they shared.

While royal watchers wanted to see the Prince and Princess of Wales showcase their love during a difficult time, their relationship wasn't the focus of Kate Middleton's video announcement of her cancer diagnosis. The sight of her alone on a bench, sitting straight, and talking directly into the camera gave the impression she intends to be a warrior during her personal battle with cancer, and will not let her family be any more affected than necessary.

As has been noted in the past, the princess is no shrinking violet. "She has this public image of being nice and smiley and, dare I say, innocuous," Valentine Low, an author and journalist who has written extensively about the royal family, told People in 2023. "But she is actually strong-minded, strong-willed and prepared to fight for what she wants and what she thinks is right."

In this case, Kate has shown a fierce protectiveness over her family, mentioning them throughout the video. "[F]or the sake of our young family, we now need some time, space, and privacy," she says, with the "we" and "our" including Prince William in her declaration. The princess then put the focus directly back on herself, switching to "I" — "I must focus on making a full recovery." Although having William sitting next to her on the bench might have given the public the romantic connection they wanted, it might have undermined Kate's determination to be seen as strong all on her own.