Prince William ‘Deeply Saddened’ by Devastating News After Kate Spoke Out on Her ‘Difficult’ Cancer Battle
The Prince of Wales is responding to the devastating news about footballer Diogo Jota, who was killed in a car accident alongside his brother, Andre Silva, after their car went off the road near Zamora, Spain. The Liverpool forward, who had also played with the Portuguese national team, was 28 and had just married the mother of his three children, Rute Cardoso, eleven days ago.
William is not just a passionate football fan, but a patron of the Football Association (FA), which is likely what he commented on news that have taken the sports world by storm.
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“As part of the footballing family, I am deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Diogo Jota and his brother,” he wrote on Instagram Stories. “Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and all who knew him @LFC @Wolves. W.”
Though not remotely similar, Prince William and his wife Kate have recently had to reevaluate their priorities in the wake of Kate’s cancer diagnosis last year and her subsequent treatment. And they’ve had to do that just as King Charles is also battling cancer, which might change the timeframe for succession, which adds pressure and stress to Kate and William both, as Prince William is next in line for the throne.
Kate Middleton recently broke her silence about her mental health following her cancer treatment, opening up to patients and staff members of the NHS about her health journey and how she’s learned to listen to her body.
“You put on a sort of brave face, stoicism through treatment,” she said while visiting Colchester Hospital in Essex on July 1. “Treatment’s done, then it’s like, ‘I can crack on, get back to normal,’ but actually, the phase afterwards is really, really difficult.”
The Princess of Wales was diagnosed with cancer in April 2024. She underwent treatment up until September, when she finished chemotherapy. In January 2025, Middleton announced she was in remission. However, her return to public life has been gradual as both she and Prince William have tried to prioritize not just her health, but their family.
“You’re not necessarily under the clinical team any longer, but you’re not able to function normally at home as you perhaps once used to,” she explained. “And actually, someone to help talk you through that, show you, and guide you through that sort of phase that comes after treatment, I think is really valuable.”
“You have to find your new normal and that takes time…and it’s a roller coaster, it’s not smooth, like you expect it to be,” Middleton also said. “But the reality is you go through hard times.”
This comes amid reports that Kate’s illness was much worse than has been reported. “I can say that, from what I understand, she is fortunate to even be speaking of recovery,” royal correspondent Rebecca English wrote in the Daily Mail. “On some levels, I actually think this is a good reminder that she was really seriously ill last year and underwent a significant period of chemo. As anyone who has been through that experience will tell you, you can feel very unwell for a long time afterwards. It can take years [to recover].”
