In a recent interview, Prince William spoke about a very trying year in his family’s life—2024, during which both his father, King Charles, and his wife, Kate Middleton, battled cancer. He spoke about the challenges of juggling so many Royal duties and ensuring that things remain on course.
During an emotional interview after visiting Cape Town in South Africa, the Prince of Wales described how terrible the year has been for him. He admitted to the heartaches that he and his family have gone through but said how proud he feels of Kate and his father for the way they have fought cancer.
William said that the year has been particularly detrimental to his emotional health, adding, “It’s been dreadful. It’s probably been the hardest year in my life.”
The Prince of Wales continued, “I’m so proud of my wife, I’m proud of my father, for handling the things that they have done. But from a personal family point of view, it’s been, yeah, it’s been brutal.”
As for Kate’s recovery following the completion of chemotherapy, William feels that she is coping well. He further spoke about his kids, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, and how they are doing.
ALSO READ: ‘She’s Been Amazing’: Prince William Praises Kate Middleton For Her Strength Amid Cancer Journey
He mentioned how Charlotte was quite upset and in fact, cried when he first debuted a beard during the summer which made him shave it off. However, he was somehow able to convince Princess Charlotte that “it was going to be okay” and ended up keeping the beard.
Referring to the Earthshot Prize, William stated that the emotional rendition of The Lion King’s Circle of Life which played during his visit to Cape Town gave him goosebumps. He emphasized the need to ensure that now, with the prize having been awarded, the winners as well as the visibility of their work have to lead to action on the various environmental problems.
On Earthshot’s fifth anniversary, the Prince of Wales recognized the challenges of establishing the global environmental award from scratch. He presented his regards to the finalists, describing them as unique personalities who do stunning work to tackle the environmental crisis.
While in South Africa, he witnessed how one of the finalists from last year, Abalobi, is working to promote sustainable fishing practices. Prince William was positive that more companies would let themselves be engaged in supporting such endeavors and would contribute to profound changes in the ecosystem.
