Prince William Was at 'Lowest' Point After Learning Kate Middleton's Cancer Diagnosis: 'It Was Awful'
A former aide to the Prince of Wales has revealed the devastating impact that Princess Kate's cancer diagnosis had on the royal, adding that his ex-employer was at his "lowest" point.
In an interview with 60 Minutes Australia, former royal aide Jason Knauf said it was the lowest he had ever seen the Prince. It is worth noting that just a month before Kate was diagnosed with cancer, William's father, King Charles, had announced a cancer diagnosis.
"It was awful, absolutely awful. It's the lowest I've ever seen him," Kanuf said in a clip shared to YouTube. "Within a couple of weeks, if you're Prince William, you find out that both your wife and your father have cancer. I couldn't believe it."
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Princess Kate underwent abdominal surgery in January 2024. It was initially believed that her condition was non-cancerous. However, tests conducted following her operation found that cancer had been present. She announced her diagnosis publicly in March last year, though it was never confirmed what type of cancer was found.
The delay in her announcement caused much speculation, mainly because Kate became noticeably absent from public life. Knauf, who worked as the chief executive of the royal couple's foundation for seven years, said the pair decided to delay publicly announcing her diagnosis because they were still "working through" how to tell their children—Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 8, and Prince Louise, 5.
On the other hand, King Charles III went to the hospital for benign prostate enlargement. His cancer was discovered during the procedure, which took place in late January 2024. Buckingham Palace announced his diagnosis in early February but was also not specific about the type or stage of cancer.
Both royals immediately began treatment shortly after their diagnosis. Princess Kate began preventative chemotherapy in late February of last year and is now in remission. Charles started his treatment after his diagnosis was made public and is still having ongoing treatment.
