It's a situation most can only imagine, and would hope to never experience: a beloved father battling cancer at the same time as your wife.
That is the reality that Prince William has had to confront in 2024, and even he knows it's brutal.
In a new very candid interview, the heir to the throne has called 2024 the "hardest year of my life".
In just a year, his wife Kate Middleton has battled breast cancer at the same time his father Prince Charles battled an undisclosed form of cancer. And it all comes just two years after the loss of his grandmother, who had been a stalwart presence in the family and upholder of the monarchy for generations.
William, who has been an avid supporter of mental health services and is probably one of the most open royals we've seen to date, didn't mince his words when speaking about the past year.
"It's been dreadful. It's probably been the hardest year in my life," he said.
Speaking about taking the reins as the Prince of Wales while going through these personal trials, he admitted there's been a lot on his plate. "Trying to get through everything else and keep everything on track has been really difficult."
It was a deeply personal moment for the prince, and one that many can relate to. The prince went on to praise his wife and father, who have both committed to treating their health issues and returning to public life as soon as possible.
"I'm so proud of my wife, I'm proud of my father, for handling the things that they have done. But from a personal family point of view, it's been, yeah, it's been brutal."
He added that his wife Kate was now doing well.
When told that he looked "relaxed" after his stay in Cape Town for the Earthshot Prize, he explained he was anything but.
"I couldn't be less relaxed this year, so it's very interesting you're all seeing that," he admitted. "But it's more a case of just crack on and you've got to keep going."
For William, balancing his royal duties with the ups and downs of family life behind closed doors has been challenging.
"I enjoy my work and I enjoy pacing myself and keeping sure that I have got time for my family, too," he added.
The prince even spoke about the "tricky" weight of the crown.
While his ascension to his role as Prince of Wales has given him freedom to support causes close to his heart, like the Earthshot Prize, it is also a heavy burden to carry. "It's a tricky one. Do I like more responsibility? No. Do I like the freedom that I can build something like Earthshot? Yes. And that's the future for me," he said.
Now, finding purpose in the big task at hand is the way forward.
Watch: Prince William, Prince Harry and Kate Middleton share a candid conversation about mental health. Post continues below.
"It's very important with my role and my platform that I'm doing something for good. That I'm helping people's lives and I'm doing something that is genuinely meaningful."
William also gave a small insight into his family life at home, joking that his daughter, Princess Charlotte, wasn't initially a fan of his new beard.
"Charlotte didn't like it the first time," William said. "I got floods of tears — the first one I got tears, so I had to shave it off. And then I grew it back. I thought, 'hang on a second,' and I convinced her it was going to be okay."
Giving the interview from Cape Town, he said that the music during the Earthshot Prize ceremony really got to him.
"Hearing The Lion King and things like that gets me quite emotional," said the prince, whose children, George, Charlotte and Louis, count The Lion King as one of their favourite films, he shared in 2017.
"So, when they started singing and... we were all there and it's happened, I did feel quite emotional."
Featured image: Getty.
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