William Makes Emotional Statement After Report Kate Is ‘Still Not Back to Normal’ Post Cancer: ‘Life Is Sent to Test Us’
Cancer is, of course, challenging for the people facing it. But though it’s not nearly as challenging to the people who make up the support system, there’s no doubt that those people also end up feeling it. And for someone like Prince William, who has had to be the strong one for both his father and his wife, there’s no doubt that the past year has felt incredibly heavy.
The Prince of Wales opened up about just how difficult this past year has been during an episode of Eugene Levy’s Apple TV+ series, The Reluctant Traveler, titled “Living the Royal Life in the UK.” In a clip from the hour, Levy receives a royal summons from Prince William himself to visit Windsor Castle. “We provide this service for everyone,” William jokes as he gives Levy a tour. “We do personalized tours everywhere.”
Related: Here’s what each royal inherited from Queen Elizabeth
It’s the type of casual look at Prince William the public rarely gets, and it even includes Orla, Prince William and Kate Middleton’s black cocker spaniel. At one point, Levy asks William what he does at home in his free time, while they walk around the grounds. “Sleep. When you have three small children, sleep is an important part of my life,” William responds.
Then there’s the moment where the two sit down for a pint at a local pub, and William gets candid about how hard the past few years have been. “I’d say ‘23-’24 was the hardest year I’ve ever had,” he admits. “You know, life is sent to test us and being able to overcome that is what makes us who we are.”
It’s no wonder Prince William made reference to this particular time, as it saw both his wife, Kate Middleton, and his father, be diagnosed with cancer. In January 2025, after going through chemotherapy, Middleton announced that her cancer was in remission. She has returned to public duties, though her return has been gradual. King Charles, meanwhile, is still in treatment for cancer.
Prince William has discussed how hard this period of time has been for him before. In an interview while in South Africa for his Earthshot Prize in 2024, he said, “It’s been dreadful. 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.” He also added, “But 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.”
After Middleton’s remission was confirmed, a family friend made sure to point out that she “is not back to normal,” but there are signs of “light at the end of the tunnel.”
Kate Middleton herself opened up about how hard the post-cancer period can be during a conversation with patients and staff members of the NHS just a few months ago. “You put on a sort of brave face, stoicism through treatment,” she said, and then added that afterwards, “Treatment’s done, then it’s like, ‘I can crack on, get back to normal,’ but actually, the phase afterwards is really, really difficult.”
“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 explained. “But the reality is you go through hard times.”
Thankfully, it now seems like everyone is doing much better. Even if it has taken some time.
