Kate Middleton, Prince William put family first during cancer treatment: author

For Kate Middleton and Prince William, royal duties are taking a backseat to parenting their children, as evidenced by how William stepped back from his duties during the princess’ cancer treatment, according to one royal writer.

“It was brutal behind the scenes for William,” said Russell Myers, The Mirror’s royal editor and author of “William & Catherine: The Intimate Inside Story.” Manchester Evening News.

Myers, William, Middleton and his father, King Henry III. He said he felt “like the rug was pulled out from under him” after Charles was diagnosed with cancer in early 2024.

“He had to manage all these emotions, you know, first of all, what was he going to do to take care of his wife?” Myers said. “How would he be with his father? What duties would he have to undertake? Would his public role also change?”

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But “beyond all that, he had a deep concern for his three children,” Myers said.

“And I think it tells you a lot about William and Catherine to see him step away from public duties, because for them family has always come first,” he said, adding that “duty is important to them, but it has to come second to family, because if they can get family right then everything else will come naturally.”

In an excerpt from his book, released in March, Myers wrote that the Prince and Princess of Wales sat their children down and told them what was happening.

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“‘Catherine was pretty determined when she walked in,’ a close aide said,” the book excerpt said, referring to her hospitalization for two weeks in January 2024 for what the palace described as “planned abdominal surgery.” “‘They both very calmly explained to the children what had happened and how long Catherine would need to be away, but explained that otherwise everything would continue normally and that she would need some rest when she came home.'”

Prince William and Kate Middleton on the balcony of Buckingham Palace with their children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis in June 2025. (Karwai Tang/WireImage)

Myers wrote that Middleton kept in touch with her family via video calls while she was in the hospital, “finding out what George, Charlotte, and Louis were doing at school and asking if ‘Dad’ could cook for them while she was away.”

“Everything seemed to be fine at the time, they were definitely the calm in the storm,” he wrote. “But of course he was incredibly absent-minded when he was away from the children. His father’s illness highlighted how quickly the entire landscape of him, his family and the institution could change.”

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In March, the princess was contacted by the medical team at the London Clinic, where she had abdominal surgery, and told her they had discovered she had cancer.

“The recommendation was to immediately administer preventive chemotherapy to give him the best chance for a full recovery,” Myers wrote. “Catherine’s friends say that although she was in complete shock, she remained calm. Her first thoughts were of her children and husband.”

“Duty is important to them, but it should be secondary to their family, because if they can understand family correctly, everything will come naturally.”

-Russell Myers

William later told friends he was in a “state of disbelief” when he heard his diagnosis, Myers wrote.

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“First his father was diagnosed with cancer, and a month later his wife was facing a similar challenge,” he wrote. “Catherine called her parents and siblings and told them, then she and William decided to gather the children together and tell them what they knew in the best and most positive way possible.”

After telling her children about the situation, Middleton decided she needed to make a public statement about her cancer, believing that “her experience could benefit others in similar distressing situations.”

Prince William and Kate Middleton during a trip to Scotland in January. (Samir Hussein/WireImage)

Middleton made her understated announcement on March 22, 2024, while sitting on a bench surrounded by flowers.

“The message, recorded in complete secrecy by the BBC’s special events team, was broadcast on the 6pm national news and online,” Myers wrote. “Just like the announcement of Elizabeth II’s death, it was like an earthquake whose repercussions were felt around the world. ‘The previous days were full of shock, but at that moment it really seemed like the world had stopped,’ said one senior courtier.”

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Despite a close friend stating that William felt like he had been “hit by a bus,” William did his best to keep his children’s lives normal: Prince George, 12; Princess Charlotte, 10; and Prince Louis, 7.

“While the Prince of Wales took responsibility for schooling, Catherine’s parents and siblings were regular visitors to the family home at Windsor,” he wrote. “Quiet dinners were eaten at home, playdates were held to keep the children entertained and weekends were spent at the Middletons’ family home in Berkshire – all part of surrounding George, Charlotte and Louis with as much love and support as possible.”

Prince George, Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte wave during Trooping the Color in June 2022. (Karwai Tang/WireImage)

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A friend told Myers that the royal couple “was both very conscious of protecting their ‘children’ as much as possible. Catherine’s admiration for the way William took on all of this, keeping the children entertained and occupied, constantly optimistic even when the weight of the world was on his shoulders, allowing her to concentrate on his treatment and recovery is something for which she will be forever grateful.”

The 44-year-old actor announced that he finished his cancer treatments in September 2024 and started to recover in January last year.

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On Saturday, the couple celebrated Valentine’s Day by sharing a photo. never seen before photo of both.

“Happy Valentine’s Day!” William and Kate revealed on their Instagram page that the black and white photo was taken by photographer Josh Shinner, who also took the Christmas card photo.