Topics: Prince William, Kate Middleton, Prince George, Prince Louis, Princess Charlotte, Royal Family, Parenting, Cancer, Health, UK News
Prince William has given a rare insight into his private life as he shared how he explained Kate Middleton's cancer diagnosis to his kids.
In March of last year, the Princess of Wales shared her diagnosis, explaining that she and William took time to 'explain everything' to their kids - Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and seven-year-old Prince Louis - before publicly revealing the health news.
Kate, who completed her treatment in September 2024, has since announced she was in remission early this year, in January.
In a new interview with Brazilian television host Luciano Huck during his trip to Brazil last week for the Earthshot Prize awards, William has explained how he and Kate eventually broke the news to their young children, admitting: "Hiding stuff from them doesn’t work."
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Huck acknowledged that the Royal Family had endured a 'very tough' few years, given that both Kate and King Charles III were diagnosed with cancer.
Charles is still undergoing treatment more than a year after his diagnosis.
Stating that every family has its own 'challenges', the father-of-three said: "Every family goes through difficult times and faces challenges together. How you deal with those moments makes all the difference.
"We decided to tell our children everything, both the good news and the bad. We explain to them why certain things happen and why they might feel upset."
He added: "Many questions might come up without answers – I think all parents go through that. There’s no rulebook for being a parent, and we chose to talk about everything."
Elsewhere in the interview, William noted: "I think it is very individual and sort of moment-dependent as to how you deal with those problems."
He added that he and Kate 'chose to communicate a lot more with our children'.
"Now, that has its good things and its bad things. Sometimes you feel you're oversharing with the children you probably shouldn’t," William carried on. "But most of the time, hiding stuff from them doesn’t work."
The heir to the throne added that they talk about how they're feeling and share different viewpoints so they aren't 'anxious' about unanswered questions, pointing out: "There are a lot more questions when there are no answers."
"But it is always a balancing act - every parent knows that," he said. "It’s, 'How much do I say? What do I say? When do I say?’ There’s no manual for being a parent, you’ve just got to go with it – a bit of instinct."
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, contact Macmillan’s Cancer Support Line on 0808 808 00 00, 8am–8pm seven days a week.
