Prince William Picked Up A New Habit After Kate Middleton & King Charles' Cancer Diagnoses

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Prince William has been surprisingly candid about what a "brutal" year 2024 was for him personally. Speaking to reporters in South Africa, in November 2024, the Prince of Wales didn't shy away from admitting that Catherine, Princess of Wales, and King Charles III's concurrent cancer diagnoses took a massive toll on him. As William acknowledged, "It's been dreadful. It's probably been the hardest year in my life. So, trying to get through everything else and keep everything on track has been really difficult," (via the BBC). After praising his wife and father for their combined strength in the face of adversity, the British heir apparent confessed that it had been an all-around horrid year for his family. 

In royal biographer Robert Jobson's 2025 release "The Windsor Legacy" he claimed that William took some unexpected solace from religion during these heartbreaking times. According to his account, the Prince of Wales even started making low-key visits to the church, despite not being particularly religious in the past. Likewise, in Robert Hardman's 2024 book "Charles III," he details how Kate Middleton's interest in religion had been similarly piqued following her cancer diagnosis. However, the author's sources were divided on her husband's spiritual beliefs. 

While one insider insisted that William felt he was far too modern to partake in certain archaic religious practices, another asserted that the prince hadn't completely turned his mind off from religion. Despite William's supposedly conflicting thoughts on the matter, he's still willing to fulfill his duties towards the Church of England when he takes over the reins. However, Hardman cautioned that the Prince of Wales wouldn't magically "become a regular worshipper or feign an enthusiasm for something that he does not feel personally."

The tragic truth about growing up as a royal is that your official duties always come before your mental health. Given that The Firm's long ingrained motto, "never complain, never explain," gave rise to many tragedies in the lives of both Prince Harry and his late mother Diana, Princess of Wales, it's unsurprising that William, Prince of Wales, sought to do things a bit differently. In a November 2025 interview with Brazilian TV presenter Luciano Huck, Prince William shared that he and wife Catherine, Princess of Wales, made a conscious choice to let their kids in on all the highs and lows of the health struggles in their family. 

"We explain to them why certain things happen and why they might feel upset," the heir apparent explained (via Instagram). "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." Although William has gained a strong reputation for being one of the few royals who aren't afraid to show their emotions, unfortunately, he still has to prioritize his duties more often than not. 

During a chat with Fox News Digital, royal expert Hilary Fordwich confirmed that the pressure of tending to royal duties while raising his children and simultaneously dealing with Kate Middleton and King Charles III's concurrent cancer diagnoses had taken a toll on William, and he even sought to temporarily put his royal duties on the backburner. According to Robert Jobson's "The Windsor Legacy," William ultimately stayed on the job after his father urged him to reconsider the decision.