It has no doubt been a testing two years for the royal family, largely due to the Princess of Wales' recovery from cancer.
Thankfully, at the beginning of 2025, the future Queen, 44, revealed that she was in remission, but the experience will no doubt stay with her and her husband, Prince William, 43, for a long time.
In his new book, William and Catherine, The Monarchy's New Era: The Inside Story, Russell Myers explained just how floored the future King was by news of Kate's illness, despite trying to keep things together for their young family. "Everyone knew it was a huge moment. The Princess delivered her message with such grace, perfection and empathy, it was incredibly emotional."
Russell continued: "But to know both she and William had had to prepare themselves to tell their young children that Mummy was ill and would have to go back to hospital, but that she would be OK, was just extraordinary. Everything they live for is for those children; they are their absolute world. There were a lot of tears from everyone."
'Helpless' William
Russell went on to discuss how, behind closed doors, William was "floored" by the news. "William had been floored by the news, yet what shone through to those who know him best was his immense pride in his wife.
© GettyHe explained that a close friend of the future King compared the impact of the news to "being hit by a bus." Russell wrote: "A close friend spoke of the prince’s reaction: It was like being hit by a bus, sudden, brutal, and completely disorienting. One moment, life was normal, and the next, everything changed. He worships her, truly. She's his world, and when the diagnosis came, it was as if the ground beneath him vanished.
Russell continued: "He talked about the rug being pulled, but it was more than that, it was heartbreak, fear and helplessness all at once. Watching him go through it was deeply emotional. You could see it in his eyes; in the way he held himself. But through it all, his devotion to her never wavered. He's been by her side every step, and the depth of his devotion is something that stays with you. It’s love in its rawest, most powerful form."
Kate's rock
There is no denying the support William has given to his wife during the most testing of times. During a visit to the Charing Cross hospital, Kate made William's support clear while chatting to a volunteer who worked with chemotherapy patients.
© Getty ImagesDuring the conversation, the volunteer told them how patients and visitors are there "for hours". Kate simply replied, "I know," before touching William’s arm next to her and saying, "We know."
