A Very Bearded Prince William Gives an Update on Princess Kate's Health

"It’s good news but there is still a long way to go."

Prince William visits the Scarlets Rugby Union team in Wales on September 10, 2024.
(Image credit: Chris Jackson - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

Earlier this week, Princess Kate shared personal family footage and revealed that her chemotherapy treatment has come to an end. On Tuesday, Prince William stepped out for a solo work commitment, which saw him braving the rain in Llanelli, Wales. Not only was William's beard on full display for the engagement, but the Prince also shared a small update on his wife's health.

The Prince of Wales visited children at the Swiss Valley Community Primary School, and met with royal fans who were waiting outside. According to the Express, a woman named Pauline Thomas spoke to Prince William about Kate Middleton, to which he responded, "It’s good news but there is still a long way to go."

After visiting the school, William met with the Scarlets Rugby Union team in the rain. Any royal fans who have been thirsting after Prince William's beard will have been delighted with his latest photo opportunity.

Prince William poses with a fan at Parc y Scarlets in Llanelli, Wales on September 10, 2024.

Prince William poses with a fan at Parc y Scarlets in Llanelli, Wales on September 10, 2024.

(Image credit: Chris Jackson - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

Prince William's new bearded look has caused quite a stir in recent weeks. While the Prince of Wales' facial hair may be a temporary addition, it seems as though he has discovered a newfound popularity thanks to the simple change.

The day before William visited Wales on his own, Princess Kate shared a special video on Instagram. The footage, which was shot by Will Warr, featured intimate clips of her family spending time together outdoors.

Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis looked delighted to be playing games with their parents and enjoying nature. William and Kate could be seen holding hands and embracing in the footage, suggesting that they've faced an extremely challenging year as a team.

In a candid caption accompanying the video, Princess Kate wrote, "As the summer comes to an end, I cannot tell you what a relief it is to have finally completed my chemotherapy treatment." She continued, "The last nine months have been incredibly tough for us as a family."

Noting the huge adjustments the entire family has needed to make in recent months, the Princess of Wales explained, "Life as you know it can change in an instant and we have had to find a way to navigate the stormy waters and road unknown."

Amy Mackelden
Contributing Editor

Amy Mackelden is a contributing editor at Marie Claire, where she covers celebrity and royal family news. She was the weekend editor at Harper’s BAZAAR for three years, where she covered breaking celebrity and entertainment news, royal stories, fashion, beauty, and politics. Prior to that, she spent a year as the joint weekend editor for Marie Claire, ELLE, and Harper's BAZAAR, and two years as an entertainment writer at Bustle. Her additional bylines include Cosmopolitan, People, The Independent, HelloGiggles, Biography, Shondaland, Best Products, New Statesman, Heat, and The Guardian. Her work has been syndicated by publications including Town & Country, Good Housekeeping, Esquire, Delish, Oprah Daily, Country Living, and Women's Health. Her celebrity interviews include Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Chastain, the cast of Selling Sunset, Emma Thompson, Jessica Alba, and Penn Badgley. In 2015, she delivered an academic paper at Kimposium, the world's first Kardashian conference.