Prince William Gets Surprisingly Candid In Confession About 'Brutal' Year

With her reputation for stoicism, Queen Elizabeth II gave the impression that high-ranking royals don't divulge personal details or emotions. Earlier in 2024, William, Prince of Wales, seemed to follow this pattern. He tried to keep his responses positive and upbeat when he mentioned the cancer treatments of King Charles III and Catherine, Princess of Wales. However, now that Kate's hit major post-chemotherapy milestones and she's reportedly back to regular activities like working out, William's switched to a more forthright approach.

"It's probably been the hardest year in my life. So, trying to get through everything else and keep everything on track has been really difficult," William admitted to the BBC during a visit to South Africa. "From a personal family point of view, it's been brutal." The prince has had additional responsibilities, all needing his attention simultaneously. As William was dealing with the distress of learning that two of his family members had cancer, he also had to focus on taking care of his three children and helping them navigate their own emotions. "He helps the kids with homework and reads to them at night," a source informed Us Weekly in April 2024. "Little things to make life more normal for them."

William has also dealt with increased royal responsibilities while Charles and Kate focused on their health. During his BBC interview, William praised their response to adversity. Happily, he also indicated that after such tough times, he was able to balance his professional and personal commitments.

Throughout her cancer diagnosis and recovery, Catherine, Princess of Wales, has opted to be sincere and straightforward when she's talked about her health. Kate was reportedly motivated to make a personal cancer announcement out of a sense of royal duty. Even so, she was also considering the wellbeing of Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. In her March 2024 announcement, Kate explained that she delayed publicly revealing her cancer diagnosis to put her children's needs first and give them time to get acclimated to the situation.

Kate continued her emotionally open approach in September 2024, when she happily reported that she had finished chemotherapy. In her heartfelt update, the princess discussed the range of emotions she and her family experienced during her illness. In the video clips, Kate's out-of-the-spotlight persona was revealed, as she and William, Prince of Wales, also provided a personal glimpse into their family's loving relationships. 

For William, being candid about his family's struggles might be easier than keeping his feeling bottled up. Before Kate's diagnosis was made public, William had to deal with people inquiring about her health during his royal appearances, as well as a deluge of bizarre ideas about why she wasn't back at work. One of William's friends praised his courage, telling The Times, "That speaks to his character, grit and determination to go out there and do the job that is expected of him."