Kate Middleton's diagnosis reopened 'old wound' for Prince William - 'The thought that he might lose her was intolerable' to him
He described 2024 as the 'hardest' year of his life and royal author Ingrid Seward believes he did everything he could to 'shield' his wife
The Princess of Wales's cancer diagnosis sent shockwaves around the world but it's hard to truly imagine how devastating it was for those closest to her. Prince William has described 2024 as "brutal" and now it's been suggested that the news of his wife's illness brought back the "sudden, sickening" fear he'd felt as a teenager when his mother died.
"When Catherine fell ill, it wasn't just a medical crisis. It was the reopening of an old wound he had spent decades learning to live around," claims royal expert Ingrid Seward in Catherine & Diana. "The shock of the diagnosis announced by Catherine in an emotional video filmed at Windsor carried with it the unmistakable scent of déjà vu."
She believes that Prince William experienced the same "sense of being thrust into a story he had never chosen, one that had already taken too much from him".
According to Ingrid, the future King did "everything in his power to shield" his wife from the world and although he resumed public-facing duties a month after she made her diagnosis public, his schedule was significantly scaled-back. He wanted to be there for her and their children and ensured that work was fitted around his family.
"The thought that he might lose her was intolerable to William, so he made sure he wouldn't - by being there at every turn," the expert alleges.
This was an incredibly tough time for the Wales family and the idea that the Princess's diagnosis might have also brought back the helplessness he felt as a 15-year-old losing his mother is heartwrenching.
William has said 2024 was the "hardest" year of his life and he's been equally open about how the family wouldn't function without Kate. After describing his wife as an "amazing" spouse and mother on Heart Breakfast in May, he added, "Literally our family couldn't cope without her, so she's been absolutely stunning really."
Her illness and what Princess Diana went through are incredibly different, though for William it makes sense that he'd be especially protective of his wife after losing someone else so integral to his life at such a young age. Prince Harry has also expressed fear about "history repeating itself", comparing the media's treatment of Meghan to what his mother faced.
The Princess of Wales announced she was in remission in January 2025 and she and William have re-focused more than ever on each other, their children and causes very close to their hearts.
Kate has eased back into royal duties, undertaking her first solo overseas trip since her diagnosis shortly before William's radio appearance. The future King has also been open about how "the most important thing in [his life] is family" and he and Kate continue to be hands-on parents arranging work around George, Charlotte and Louis.
All of them were also there to congratulate the Princess when she completed the National Three Peaks Challenge in June to raise money for The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity. The Prince and Princess of Wales have always faced everything together and even though her illness might've opened "old wounds" they're stronger than ever.
