London, England – September 29, 2025 – In a candid revelation that has tugged at the heartstrings of the nation and beyond, Prince William, the Prince of Wales, has opened up about the profound personal toll exacted by 2024—a year he now describes as the “hardest” of his life. Speaking in a deeply personal interview previewed this week for Apple TV+’s The Reluctant Traveler with Eugene Levy, the 43-year-old heir to the throne reflected on the relentless storm of health crises that engulfed his family: the simultaneous cancer diagnoses of his beloved wife, Catherine, Princess of Wales, and his father, King Charles III. “I’d say 2024 was the hardest year I’ve ever had,” William confessed over a quiet pint in a cozy Welsh pub, his voice laced with the quiet resolve that has become his hallmark. “You know, life is sent to test us as well, and being able to overcome that is what makes us who we are.”

The interview, set to air in full on October 3 as part of the series’ season finale episode “Living the Royal Life in the UK,” marks one of William’s rare forays into unscripted television. Filmed earlier this summer amid the rolling hills of Snowdonia, it features the prince alongside Canadian comedian Eugene Levy, the reluctant explorer from Schitt’s Creek. What began as a lighthearted jaunt through ancient castles and misty trails evolved into a poignant exchange, with Levy gently coaxing William to peel back the layers of his public persona. As the two men sat by a crackling fire, nursing their ales, the conversation turned inevitably to the shadows that had loomed over the House of Windsor. “It was brutal,” William admitted, his blue eyes distant for a moment. “Dreadful, even. But it’s those fires that forge us.”

For the uninitiated, 2024 unfolded like a Greek tragedy scripted for modern tabloids. The year began with a seismic jolt on February 5, when Buckingham Palace issued a somber statement: King Charles, then 75, had been diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer following a routine procedure for an enlarged prostate. The announcement, delivered with the monarchy’s characteristic restraint, revealed that the king would postpone public duties to commence “regular treatments” as an outpatient. The news rippled through the Commonwealth like a shockwave, prompting an outpouring of support from world leaders, from U.S. President Joe Biden’s heartfelt tweet to messages etched in guestbooks at Windsor Castle. Charles, ever the stoic, responded with characteristic grace, hosting a garden party for cancer research charities in April where he shared a poignant booklet with attendees. “Each diagnosis is daunting,” he wrote, “but as one among those statistics myself, I can vouch that it can also bring into sharp focus the very best of humanity.”

Yet, the palace had scarcely caught its breath when, just six weeks later on March 22, another bombshell detonated. Catherine, the poised 42-year-old mother of three and the woman often hailed as the “people’s princess,” released a deeply moving video from the gardens of Windsor. Filmed on a bench beneath blooming daffodils, her face pale but composed, she revealed her own cancer diagnosis. Discovered incidentally during major abdominal surgery in January for what was initially described as a non-cancerous condition, subsequent tests had uncovered malignancy. “It was a huge shock,” Kate said, her voice steady yet laced with vulnerability. “Tests after my operation showed cancer had been present. My medical team advised that I should undergo a course of preventative chemotherapy, and I am now in the early stages of that treatment.” The video, viewed over 100 million times in its first 24 hours, shattered the illusion of royal invincibility, humanizing the Wales family in a way unseen since Diana’s era.

For William, the dual blows landed like twin tempests. Thrust into the role of de facto regent, he shouldered an intensified slate of duties—from state banquets to Earthshot Prize galas—while navigating the labyrinth of hospital corridors and family heart-to-hearts. “Trying to keep everything on track has been really difficult,” he told reporters during a November 2024 tour of South Africa, his words echoing the exhaustion etched into his features. The prince, who had only ascended to his current title two years prior upon Queen Elizabeth II’s passing, found himself balancing the scales of monarchy and fatherhood. With their children—Prince George, now 12; Princess Charlotte, 10; and Prince Louis, 7—still tender in their understanding of the world, William became both anchor and shield. “When you’ve got three small children, sleep is an important part of my life,” he quipped in the Levy interview, a wry smile breaking through the gravity. Yet, behind the humor lay the raw truth: sleepless nights spent at Kate’s bedside, or pacing Kensington Palace floors as Louis asked innocent questions about “why Mummy’s tired.”

The year was not without its silver linings, forged in the crucible of adversity. King Charles, drawing on his lifelong advocacy for holistic health, integrated mindfulness and environmental therapies into his regimen, often retreating to the Scottish Highlands for fresh air and reflection. By summer, he resumed select engagements, including a heartfelt address at Trooping the Colour in June, where he appeared frail but unbowed, waving to crowds from the Buckingham Palace balcony alongside Camilla, Queen Consort. Kate, too, marked quiet victories: completing her chemotherapy by August and announcing her remission in a January 2025 video that radiated quiet triumph. “I am in remission, and I remain focused on recovery,” she shared, her curls framing a face touched by resilience. “As anyone who has experienced a cancer diagnosis will know, it takes time to adjust to a new normal.” Her return to public life was gradual—a surprise appearance at the King’s Birthday Parade in June, where she joined her family on the balcony, drew thunderous applause and tears from onlookers.

Publicly, the royals projected unity, but privately, the strain tested bonds long assumed unbreakable. William’s estrangement from his brother, Prince Harry—exacerbated by the Sussexes’ 2020 exit and Harry’s memoir Spare—added another layer of isolation. Whispers from palace insiders suggested tense phone calls with Charles, the king reportedly longing for reconciliation even as William prioritized his nuclear family. “It’s been incredibly tough for us as a family,” Kate had said in her March video, a sentiment William echoed in Cape Town. “But we’ve drawn closer, learned to lean on each other in ways we never imagined.” The couple’s Windsor estate became a sanctuary, where barbecues in the garden and bedtime stories offered fleeting normalcy. George, ever the young statesman, penned letters to his grandfather; Charlotte organized “bravery picnics” for her mother; Louis, the family jester, elicited laughs with his unfiltered glee.

William’s reflections in the Levy interview extend beyond personal grief, touching on the broader lessons etched into his soul. “Life throws these curveballs,” he mused, “and it’s how we swing back that defines us.” The prince, a vocal mental health advocate through his Heads Together initiative, wove threads of vulnerability into the narrative, underscoring the monarchy’s evolving role in destigmatizing illness. His Earthshot Prize, the environmental award he founded in 2020, served as a beacon amid the darkness—2024’s Cape Town ceremony, attended virtually by a recovering Kate, celebrated innovators tackling climate-driven health risks, from polluted waters to heatwaves exacerbating chronic conditions. “These challenges aren’t abstract,” William said. “They hit home—literally, for my family this year.”

The interview’s release has ignited a wave of empathy across the globe. Social media brimmed with #WilliamStrong, fans sharing stories of their own cancer battles and hailing the prince’s candor as a “masterclass in grace under fire.” Celebrities from Oprah Winfrey, who praised Kate’s “warrior spirit,” to Elton John, a longtime Charles confidant, offered public solidarity. In the UK, where cancer touches one in two lifetimes, charities reported a 20% spike in helpline calls post-announcement, with many citing William’s words as a catalyst for seeking support. “He’s not just a prince; he’s a mirror for millions,” said Dr. Elena Hargrove, a London oncologist. “By naming the pain, he normalizes it.”

As autumn leaves swirl through Kensington Gardens, the Wales family edges toward that “new normal.” Kate, now glowing with cautious optimism, has resumed light duties—hosting a children’s hospice event in September, where she spoke of “finding joy in the small things.” Charles, too, marked a milestone with a Pacific tour in October 2024, his first major overseas trip post-diagnosis, where Samoan drummers welcomed him as a symbol of enduring strength. William, ever the dutiful son and husband, shuttles between Adelaide Cottage and Balmoral, carving out “mini-breaks” with his father—hunting, fishing, and simply being.

Yet, in quiet moments, the scars of 2024 linger. “It’s probably been the hardest year in my life,” William reiterated in South Africa, his voice cracking just once. For a man groomed from birth for the crown, the year stripped away certainties, revealing the fragility beneath the pomp. But in that vulnerability lies his greatest strength: a reminder that even princes are human, tested not by thrones but by trials of the heart. As the world watches, William’s story—woven with loss, love, and unyielding hope—offers a blueprint for endurance. In the words of the man himself: “Overcome it, and it makes us who we are.” For the House of Windsor, 2024 was the forge; 2025, perhaps, the flight.