A former royal aide has shared a poignant look into how Kate Middleton’s cancer affected her husband Prince William.
Jason Knauf revealed it was “the lowest” he’d ever seen William in the wake of Kate’s diagnosis. Kate has previously discussed the challenging period for her family and the suddenness with which “life as you know it can change in an instant.”
Jason has now provided a rare insight into William’s private struggles following the diagnosis, a contrast to the composed and strong image often presented publicly. Jason, who was CEO of William and Kate’s Royal Foundation until 2021, spoke to 60 Minutes Australia about a personal conversation with William after both Kate’s and his father King Charles’ cancer diagnoses were revealed.
“Within a couple of weeks, you find out that both your wife and your father have cancer… It was awful, absolutely awful,” he recounted. “It’s the lowest I’ve ever seen him.”
The emotional toll on William is not difficult to fathom. Reflecting on the past year, he admitted to reporters in South Africa that 2024 had been “brutal” for his family, describing it as the “hardest” year of his life.
Royal commentator Jennie Bond suggested dealing with the illnesses of both his wife and father has been difficult for William, a sentiment sharply emphasized by Jason Knauf’s recent insights. “Although William has told us that last year was brutal, we’ve only been able to imagine his despair when the call came through to tell them Catherine had cancer,” Jennie reported to New Magazine.
She continued, “But now Jason Knauf has brought home the reality of the situation, recounting how he had never seen William so down. It was clearly a really shocking day for them.”
Bond added, “Then, the reality of the treatment and the prognosis sinks in. The side-effects of the treatment were obviously physically wearing, and then both Catherine and William had to deal with the mental pressures of it all and of having to navigate how to tell the children and protect them.”
After opening up about her cancer diagnosis, the Princess of Wales expressed her desire to discuss the matter with her children Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, nine, and Prince Louis, six before going public.
“This of course came as a huge shock, and William and I have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family,” she shared.
Kate, who underwent abdominal surgery last January, shared her experience and the careful approach to discussing it with her children. She said, “As you can imagine, this has taken time. It has taken me time to recover from major surgery in order to start my treatment. But, most importantly, it has taken us time to explain everything to George, Charlotte and Louis in a way that is appropriate for them, and to reassure them that I am going to be OK.”
In September, she then noted, “Life as you know it can change in an instant and we have had to find a way to navigate the stormy waters and road unknown.”
Bond weighed in, acknowledging the transformative nature of battling cancer, “I don’t think anyone is ever the same after an experience with cancer. William and Catherine must now cherish even more every single day that they spend together and with their children. Catherine has spoken about how something like this changes your whole perspective on life and makes you feel more vulnerable.”
Nonetheless, Bond sees a silver lining. She believes Kate and her family emerged from the past year stronger than before, saying, “It certainly seems to me that they have come through it as an even stronger couple and they were already a strong and extremely loving couple. The film Catherine narrated at the end of her treatment was defined by the love and support they showed for one another and for their children.”
Kate’s engagements this year suggest a strong commitment to balancing her royal duties with family life. A recent public display of affection at a Welsh railway station, where she was spotted holding hands with her husband, and their joint engagement making Welsh cakes for St David’s Day – their first in over a year – are testament to this.
The public’s warm reception is indicative of their delight at seeing her back in action and looking healthy after stepping back from royal duties for an extended period of recovery. “Catherine is looking fantastic and looks as if she is enjoying every engagement,” commented Bond.
She added, “It certainly seems to me that she has got her mojo back and, although we are told this is still a gradual return to royal duties, we are seeing more of her than many of us expected so early in the year. Moreover, the welcome she’s getting wherever she goes must make her realise that she is the star of the royal family.”
Click here to follow the Mirror US on Google News to stay up to date with all the latest news, sport and entertainment stories.
DAILY NEWSLETTER: Sign up here to get the latest news and updates from the Mirror US straight to your inbox with our FREE newsletter.
Leave a Reply