An upcoming book offers fresh insight into how the Prince and Princess of Wales navigated one of the most challenging periods of their lives whilst shielding their young family.
William and Catherine: The Monarchy's New Era: The Inside Story, reveals intimate details about the couple's approach to discussing Kate's 2024 cancer diagnosis with their children.
Despite the devastating news arriving shortly after King Charles announced his own cancer diagnosis in February 2024, William and Kate remained steadfastly focused on Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, seven.
According to a close aide quoted in the book, the royal couple "both very calmly told the children what was going on and how long Catherine would need to be away for, but explained other than that everything would continue as normal and when she came home, she would need to rest up for a bit".
The book reveals how the Princess of Wales broke news of her cancer to their children
|GETTY
During her hospital stay, Kate maintained regular contact with George, Charlotte and Louis through video calls.
These conversations saw her listening attentively as the children recounted their school days and enquiring whether "Papa" had been preparing their meals in her absence.
A friend told Russel Myers, the author of the book, Kate endured "a pretty grueling time" throughout her treatment, yet "her focus was always on her children" and maintaining positivity was entirely for their benefit.
To ensure life continued as normally as possible for the children, William assumed responsibility for the school run and daily parenting duties whilst Kate recovered.
The Middleton family rallied around during this difficult period, with Kate's parents and siblings making frequent visits to support the household.
Mr Myers' book, which is being serialised in The Sunday Mirror, details how playdates were arranged for the children, alongside weekends spent with grandparents Michael and Carole Middleton at their Berkshire residence.
The Princess of Wales made the announcement in a BBC interview | GETTY"They were both very conscious of protecting [the kids] as much as possible," a friend of the couple explained.
The same source spoke of Kate's profound gratitude for her husband's efforts: "Catherine's admiration for the way in which William took on all of that, keeping the children entertained and occupied, being constantly sanguine even when he had the weight of the world on his shoulders, allowing her to concentrate on her treatment and recovery, is something she will be eternally grateful for."
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Whilst William remained composed around his children, who an aide described as "the calmness in the storm," he struggled privately when away from them, becoming "incredibly pensive" about Kate's condition.
A close friend of the prince offered Mr Myers a stark description of William's inner turmoil, stating: "It was like being hit by a bus sudden, brutal and completely disorienting."
The Prince of Wales felt like he had been hit by a bus when Catherine was diagnosed with cancer
| GETTYThe friend continued: "One moment life was normal, and the next, everything changed. He worships [Kate], truly. She's his world, and when the diagnosis came, it was as if the ground beneath him vanished. He talked about the rug being pulled, but it was more than that, it was heartbreak, fear and helplessness all at once."
Kate announced she had completed chemotherapy in September 2024 and confirmed her remission in early 2025.
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