Prince William says he had his ‘hardest year’ after family cancer diagnoses
LONDON – Prince William has opened up about his own annus horribilis in coping with the illnesses of his wife, Catherine, the Princess of Wales, and his father, King Charles, who is still undergoing treatment for cancer.
“It’s been dreadful. It’s probably been the hardest year in my life,” he told reporters at the end of a visit to South Africa, when asked about how his year has been. “So trying to get through everything else and keep everything on track has been really difficult,” he added, according to the BBC.
In February, the palace revealed that Charles was diagnosed with cancer, and a month later, Catherine said that she was in the early stages of treatment for the disease. In September, Catherine said she had finished chemotherapy and was seeking to “stay cancer free.”
“I’m so proud of my wife, I’m proud of my father, for handling the things that they have done,” William told reporters. “But from a personal family point of view, it’s been brutal.”
While William’s estranged brother, Prince Harry, has been open about his feelings on various matters, it’s unusual to hear Prince William open up about his personal life.
His remarks have been compared to his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, who referred to 1992 as her “annus horribilis” – the Latin phrase for horrible year – after a fire at Windsor Castle, the separation of three of her children from their spouses and tabloid scandals involving the royal family.
William was in South Africa for the annual awards ceremony for the Earthshot prize, the environmental initiative he launched in 2020. On Wednesday, the prize awarded $1.2 million grants to five businesses to help them develop eco-friendly innovations.
He was also asked by reporters about his role as Prince of Wales, heir to the throne, and the responsibility that came with it.
“Do I like more responsibility? No,” William told reporters, though he said he liked the freedom that allowed him to “build something like Earthshot.”
“And that’s the future for me. It’s very important with my role and my platform, that I’m doing something for good,” he said.
William’s role as Prince of Wales also comes with additional scrutiny. Earlier this month, Channel 4 and the Sunday Times published an extensive investigation into the huge property portfolios owned by Charles and William.
Catherine has started to return to some public duties. On Friday, the palace said she will attend a Remembrance service in London on the weekend to honor war dead, a key date in the royal diary.