The Prince and Princess of Wales pictured in October last year, months before Kate was diagnosed with cancer (Image: PA)
Prince William was left “completely crestfallen” over news of Kate’s cancer diagnosis, a royal expert claims.
The Princess of Wales revealed in March this year she was receiving chemotherapy for an undisclosed form of cancer, which was discovered following planned abdominal surgery. Husband William was left “devastated” by the diagnosis, the author of a new biography on the princess has revealed.
Biographer Rob Jobson told US Weekly that the 41-year-old was equally shattered upon learning that his father, King Charles, was also battling cancer. Both Charles and Kate leaned on each other during this challenging time, receiving an overwhelming 27,000 written messages wishing them well.
Royal author Rob Jobson told US Weekly Kate’s diagnosis was devastating for Prince William at the time (
A touching moment was captured in June when Charles was seen reading some of the 27,000 cards, reportedly moved to tears by the heartfelt messages from across the nation. One individual encouraged him: “Chin up, chest out, remain positive and don’t let it get you down. Trust me, it works, but the main thing is family.”
The palace, in its annual Sovereign Grant report released on Wednesday, acknowledged how their support teams “adapted swiftly” to the changing health circumstances, which included managing an increased volume of mail, reports Birmingham Live.
Sir Michael Stevens, Keeper of the Privy Purse, noted that staff received: “Some 27,000 messages of well-wishes for The King and Princess of Wales following the announcements about their health, building on the 31,000 kind messages that had been received for The Coronation and reaching a total of 138,000 items of correspondence for the year 2023-24.”
“As His Majesty has said, ‘such kind thoughts have been the greatest comfort and encouragement’.” When celebrating the unveiling of new gardens at the Natural History Museum, where she is a patron, Kate shared an update.
Touching on her recent ailment, she stated: “I am hugely supportive of the Museum’s commitment to create a special. I know the power of nature to support our development and well-being, both by bringing us joy and helping to keep us physically, mentally and spiritually healthy. I hope these gardens will be inspiring and transformative for the thousands of people who visit.”
