Prince William 'at his lowest' after wife Princess Kate's cancer diagnosis
Kate battled cancer in 2024Prince William was at his “lowest” after his wife Princess Kate was diagnosed with cancer, a former palace aide has said.
Jason Knauf, formerly the chief executive of William and Kate’s Royal Foundation and a good friend to the couple, has spoken out in a new interview.
The Princess of Wales, 43, announced her cancer diagnosis in March 2024. She then underwent preventative chemotherapy and revealed in September that she had completed it.
Then, in January 2025, Kate shared that she was in remission.
Prince William ‘at his lowest’ amid wife Princess Kate’s cancer
Speaking with 60 Minutes Australia, Jason said: “Within a couple of weeks, if you were Prince William, you find out that both your wife and your father have cancer. I couldn’t believe it.”
When asked if he remembers the phone call he had with Prince William, 42, about Kate’s diagnosis, Jason said: “It was awful, absolutely awful. It’s the lowest I’ve ever seen him.
“The problem was that all this crazy conspiracy theory stuff kicked off in the background online, ‘was she really ill?’
It was awful, absolutely awful. It’s the lowest I’ve ever seen him.
“But they didn’t want to say yet that she had cancer because they hadn’t told the children. They were still working through how to tell the children.”
Jason went on to say that the Prince and Princess of Wales were very family driven, and that was a priority for them. He said the couple made sure they had “time to be parents first” when planning out their royal duties each year – something Jason helped them with.
Princess Kate announces she’s in remission with her cancer
Following a tough 2024 for William and Kate, in January of this year, she announced she was in remission with her cancer.
She shared a heartfelt and emotional post on Instagram, sharing the news with fans.
Kate said: “It is a relief to now be in remission and I remain 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. There is much to look forward to. Thank you to everyone for your continued support.”
The Prince of Wales had opened up at the end of 2024 about what a “brutal” year it had been. His father King Charles announced his cancer diagnosis in February of last year, and continues to undergo treatment.
Prince William admits ‘brutal’ year after cancer news
During a solo trip to South Africa in November 2024, William told reporters: “It’s been dreadful. It’s probably been the hardest year in my life. So, trying to get through everything else and keep everything on track has been really difficult.
Read more: How Prince William and Kate Middleton’s love story on the skiing slopes became a royal affair
“I’m so proud of my wife, I’m proud of my father, for handling the things that they have done. But from a personal family point of view, it’s been brutal.”
What do you think of Jason’s comments on William and Kate? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @RoyalInsiderOfficial.
