The Prince of Wales described the past year as the “hardest year” of his life. Speaking to reporters at the end of his visit to South Africa, Prince William shared how he has coped since both his wife and father were diagnosed with cancer.
“It’s been dreadful. It’s probably been the hardest year of my life. Trying to get through everything else and keep everything on track has been really difficult,” he said when asked about his experiences during a challenging year for the Royal Family.
In February, Buckingham Palace announced that the King had been diagnosed with cancer and would begin treatment. Just six weeks later, the Palace revealed that the Princess of Wales had also started chemotherapy following her own cancer diagnosis.
Since then, the King has returned to public duties, and Catherine has completed her chemotherapy treatment.
Prince William expressed his admiration, saying, “I’m so proud of my wife and my father for handling everything they have faced. But, from a personal family point of view, it’s been brutal.”
The Prince of Wales was in South Africa for his Earthshot Prize awards ceremony.
On Wednesday night, five innovative environmental projects each received £1 million in prize money.
He was also asked about his role as Prince of Wales and how he feels about the freedom and responsibility it entails.
“It’s a tricky one. Do I like more responsibility? No,” he said. “But do I like the freedom to build something like Earthshot? 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—helping people’s lives and doing something genuinely meaningful.”
The prince has been sporting a beard since the summer, a style choice that has sparked mixed opinions, even among those closest to him, including his daughter Princess Charlotte.
“Charlotte didn’t like it the first time. There were floods of tears, so I had to shave it off. Then I grew it back. I thought, hang on a second, and convinced her it was going to be okay.”
Reflecting on balancing his roles as a future king, husband, and father, he shared that he feels he has found the right balance between his public duties and private life.
“I enjoy my work and enjoy pacing myself to make sure I have time for my family too.”
On his last day in Cape Town, he learned more about Abalobi, a 2023 Earthshot Prize finalist focused on supporting small-scale fishing communities.
He was greeted by locals with shouts of “we love you, William” and spoke with fishermen and women involved in the program.
Later, a few vocal protesters held signs and voiced concerns on various issues, including the conflict in Israel, indigenous rights, the culling of baboons, and representation for local fishermen.
On Wednesday, Prince William told broadcasters that Catherine is “really well” and has been “amazing this whole year.”
