Prince William Says "Dreadful" 2024 Was "The Hardest Year In My Life" In Candid And Emotional Interview

"I'm so proud of my wife, I'm proud of my father, for handling the things that they have done."

Prince William wearing a gray blazer and pants walking in the woods
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Seeing one family member go through cancer is difficult enough, but two at once? It's an experience Prince William has called "brutal" in a new interview marking the end of his trip to South Africa on Nov. 7.

The Prince of Wales spoke with a group of journalists who traveled to Cape Town to cover the Earthshot Prize ceremony and its related events over the past week, and he shared that 2024 has been a challenge for him both personally and professionally.

"Honestly? It's been dreadful," William said with a sigh, per the Daily Mail. "It's probably been the hardest year in my life."

He continued that "trying to get through everything else and keep everything on track has been really difficult" while watching both The King and Princess Kate deal with cancer treatments.

A closeup of Prince William wearing a dark blazer and looking thoughtful and serious

The Prince of Wales, pictured at an Earthshot Prize Climate Leaders Youth Program event on Nov. 4, opened up about his family's health struggles.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

"But I'm so proud of my wife, I'm proud of my father, for handling the things that they have done," the Prince of Wales said, adding, "from a personal family point of view, it's been, yeah, it's been brutal."

Princess Kate announced she'd completed chemotherapy treatments in a moving video the couple posted in September, and when asked about his wife's health, William replied, "She's doing well. Doing well."

While he's made an occasional comment about his wife's health during events, this is the most open Prince William has ever been when it comes to the Royal Family's cancer struggles this year. His interview marks a continuation of the new, candid approach the Wales family has shown when it comes to sharing their lives with the public.

William—who was greeted by both supermodel fans and angry protestors in Cape Town over his weeklong visit—said that while one reporter suggested his fan-favorite facial hair might give him a more "relaxed" look, he felt anything but.

"It's interesting you say that, because I couldn't be less relaxed this year, so it's very interesting you're all seeing that," he replied to the journalist, per People.

Prince William wearing a blue jacket and smiling waving to a huge crowd of people outside a harbor

The prince met crowds of South African fans during one stop on his trip to Cape Town.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

One royal who was definitely not "relaxed" about his beard was Princess Charlotte, with the Prince of Wales telling the media that his daughter cried when he first grew his facial hair.

“Well, Charlotte didn’t like it the first time. I got floods of tears, the first one I got tears, so I had to shave it off," he said, per People. However, the dad of three "convinced her it was going to be okay" and "grew it back."

Speaking about his future in the Royal Family and the increased duties that come with the Prince of Wales title, Prince William said, "It's a tricky one. Do I like more responsibility? No. Do I like the freedom that I can build something like Earthshot? Then yes."

At the end of the day, the future King said he's focused on making an impact. "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," he shared.

Kristin Contino
Senior Royal and Celebrity Editor

Kristin Contino is Marie Claire's Senior Royal and Celebrity editor. She's been covering royalty since 2018—including major moments such as the Platinum Jubilee, Queen Elizabeth II’s death and King Charles III's coronation—and places a particular focus on the British Royal Family's style and what it means.

Prior to working at Marie Claire, she wrote about celebrity and royal fashion at Page Six Style and covered royalty from around the world as chief reporter at Royal Central. Kristin has provided expert commentary for outlets including the BBC, Sky News, US Weekly, the Today Show and many others.

Kristin is also the published author of two novels, “The Legacy of Us” and “A House Full of Windsor.” She's passionate about travel, history, horses, and learning everything she can about her favorite city in the world, London.