King Charles reportedly delivered a firm two-word response to Prince William’s request after learning that his wife, Princess Kate, had been diagnosed with cancer. In February 2024, Buckingham Palace confirmed that King Charles III had been diagnosed with cancer following a procedure for an enlarged prostate.
His Majesty stepped back from public-facing duties while undergoing treatment, continuing to perform his constitutional role from behind the scenes. In a further blow to the Royal Family, Catherine then announced in a video statement in March that she was in the early stages of receiving cancer treatment.
Calling it a “huge shock,” the princess delivered her message with a calm determination that deeply moved the nation. “At this time, I am also thinking of all those whose lives have been affected by cancer,” she said. “For everyone facing this disease, in whatever form, please do not lose faith or hope. You are not alone.”
Behind the scenes, Prince William was said to be “totally crestfallen,” according to royal author Robert Jobson. Balancing his public duties with caring for his wife and their three young children at Adelaide Cottage, the heir to the throne later described the ordeal as “brutal… the hardest year of my life” in an interview with The Times journalist Kate Mansey.
Writing in his new book The Windsor Legacy: A Royal Dynasty, Mr Jobson said that William urged the King to slow down and listen to his medical team. He also suggested he might scale back his own royal engagements to just ten for the year, hoping to focus on family and recovery.
But King Charles was having none of it. According to the author, the monarch issued a brisk, two-word response: “Think again.”
Despite their differing views on how to cope, Prince William and his father have grown closer during the shared ordeal. Charles rallied behind his “beloved” daughter-in-law and praised her “courage and resilience” — words that carried special weight given his own treatment.
Mr Jobson wrote: “Like William, he became a ‘beacon of strength’ to the princess. The two had a private one-to-one lunch at Windsor Castle the day before Catherine’s pre-recorded video was aired.
“There, they were able to offer each other support. After it was shown, Charles issued a palace statement saying he was ‘so proud of Catherine for her courage in speaking as she did.’”
In January, the Princess of Wales revealed she is in remission from cancer as she made an emotional return to the hospital where she received treatment.
In a message posted on social media, Catherine spoke of her “relief” and said she remained “focused on recovery.”
“As anyone who has experienced a cancer diagnosis will know, it takes time to adjust to a new normal. I am, however, looking forward to a fulfilling year ahead,” the princess wrote in the post, which she signed off as “C”.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.express.co.uk ’
