'Hardest Year of My Life': Prince William Gets Candid About Cancer Struggles Facing Both King Charles and Kate Middleton

Prince William, 42, balanced being heir to the British throne with the "emotionally devastating" cancer battles King Charles III, 75, and Kate, Princess of Wales, 42, endured throughout 2024.

In a rare interview during his current trip to South Africa, the future king was asked about his "annus horribilis" (Latin for "terrible year"), and HRH candidly replied, "Honestly? It’s been dreadful. It’s probably been the hardest year in my life."

William's grandmother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, famously called 1992 her annus horribilis due to the breakdown of three of her children's marriages and a fire at Windsor Castle. This year, her grandson "faced a far more devastating" lousy year that has won him the admiration of many royal fans.

HRH added, "So, trying to get through everything else and keep everything on track has been really difficult. But 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."

When asked how the future queen, who is not in attendance, was doing since completing chemotherapy in early September, HRH replied, "She's doing really well thanks. And hopefully, she is watching tonight and cheering me on."

The future king added, "She's been amazing this whole this whole year. I know she will be really keen to see tonight be a success."

This follows good news from Kate biographer Robert Jobson who dished, "From what I understand, Catherine is doing very well. She is back training at the gym and doing all the things she wanted to do. I do think that we will start to see a lot more of her and that she will carry out engagements as well as continuing to work behind the scenes."

Conflicting reports suggest the King is also "doing well," however, His Majesty is still battling the disease unlike his daughter-in-law.

William was also asked about his thoughts on being the Prince of Wales, and replied, "It’s a tricky one. Do I like more responsibility? No. Do I like the freedom that I can build something like Earthshot, then yes. And that’s the future for me. It’s very important with my role and my platform, that I’m doing something for good."

The next monarch concluded, "That I’m helping people’s lives and I’m doing something that is genuinely meaningful. So, the Earthshot is a culmination if you like all that put together. But it takes a lot of work; meetings, people coming in, a lot of chatting and phone calls, letters, all trying to sort of make the Earthshot get to being the best possible entity it can be."

Daily Mirror reported on the prince's remarks.