Stylist's Cryptic Update On Prince William & Kate Middleton Is So Troubling

You may not know Amaia Arrieta by name, but if you're a royal fan, you may recognize some of her designs — Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis have all worn clothing from Arrieta's Amaia London brand, including at some high-profile events, like the Platinum Jubilee. "Dressing the royals gives me so much pride," Arrieta told The Telegraph in a recent interview. However, she then expressed a more troubling sentiment about the Wales family: "I'm heartbroken at the moment. I think they are going through hell. I hope they will be back. It's really personal."

Arrieta has worked with the Wales family team to help get looks for the children over the years, so she likely has some unique insight into the family. So, for her to say that they're going through hell is pretty telling as to the depth of what the family might be really dealing with behind the scenes. We don't have any more details from Arrieta about precisely what it is that's heartbreaking for her regarding William and Kate and their family, but it seems like it's a reasonable assumption that she's referring to the young family having to navigate Kate's cancer diagnosis and treatment.

In March 2024, Catherine, Princess of Wales, shared with the world that she'd been diagnosed with cancer. In the announcement posted on Instagram, she said, "It has taken us time to explain everything to George, Charlotte, and Louis in a way that is appropriate for them and to reassure them that I am going to be ok."

That is a challenging enough situation for any family, but the "hell" that Amaia Arrieta thinks the royal family is going through could also have to do with the media speculation that they've faced in the midst of it. Kate's cancer diagnosis reveal came after weeks of wild theories about her condition after she disappeared from the public eye after a January announcement that she would be undergoing abdominal surgery. People came up with wide-ranging theories, from it being a sign of trouble in William and Kate's marriage to Kate having secretly gotten a facelift.

Then there was the Mother's Day picture drama, which Arrieta may have felt as particularly personal, considering that Princess Charlotte was wearing a plaid skirt by Amaia in the photo. News agencies pulled the picture after it was found to have been photoshopped, and Charlotte's skirt was one of the parts of the image that had been altered. Kate later admitted to editing the picture she'd shared on Mother's Day in the UK of her with her three kids.

William, Prince of Wales, was recently asked by well-wishers how things were going with Catherine, Princess of Wales, and the kids. He said, "All doing well, thank you." That certainly puts a positive spin on what has to be a stressful situation. But when you combine that with the comments from Amaia Arrieta, it may be that William is trying to put on a brave face in public while simultaneously trying to keep their private life private. If William had told people that the family was "going through hell," as Arrieta suggested, it likely would have spawned even more speculation and rumors.

While Kate has continued to stay out of the public eye as she continues to undergo cancer treatment, her father-in-law, King Charles III, has shut down chatter about his health by returning to public duties while seemingly still undergoing treatment himself. A palace spokesperson said that "doctors are sufficiently pleased with the progress so far that the king is now able to resume a number of public-facing duties," via The Guardian. Hopefully, Kate will be well enough to return to work soon and put this troubling time behind her and her family.