How Kate Middleton and Prince William Told Their 3 Children About Her Cancer Diagnosis

Keeping things normal for Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis remained a top priority during Kate's health ordeal

NEED TO KNOW

• Kate Middleton and Prince William’s three children were a priority throughout her cancer diagnosis and treatment in 2024, with details revealed in a new book
• The couple worked to keep things routine for Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis
• In her public announcement, Princess Kate said, “It has taken us time to explain everything to George, Charlotte and Louis in a way that is appropriate for them, and to reassure them that I am going to be okay”

Kate Middleton and Prince William kept their three children top of mind as they navigated her cancer diagnosis.

Russell Myers shares insights into the Prince and Princess of Wales during one of their biggest challenges, Kate's cancer diagnosis in 2024, in his new book, William and Catherine: The Monarchy's New Era: The Inside Story, out March 10.

Despite being taken aback by the news, especially in the wake of King Charles' own cancer announcement in February 2024, Prince William and Princess Kate's primary focus remained on their three children: Prince George, now 12, Princess Charlotte, now 10, and Prince Louis, now 7.

In an excerpt of Myers' book published by The Mirror on Saturday, Feb. 14, a close aide revealed that William and Kate "both very calmly told the children what was going on and how long Catherine would need to be away for, but explained other than that everything would continue as normal and when she came home, she would need to rest up for a bit."

While in the hospital, Kate kept in touch with her kids via video calls, listening to stories about their school days and asking if "Papa" (William) had cooked for them while she was away.

Intent on making sure things carried on as normal for the kids, William took over school drop-offs, and Kate's parents and siblings visited regularly, per Myers' book. Playdates were organized, as well as weekends away with grandparents Michael and Carole Middleton at their Berkshire home.

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"They were both very conscious of protecting [the kids] as much as possible," a friend said of Kate and William. "Catherine’s admiration for the way in which William took on all of that, keeping the children entertained and occupied, being constantly sanguine even when he had the weight of the world on his shoulders, allowing her to concentrate on her treatment and recovery, is something she will be eternally grateful for."

While Kate had "a pretty grueling time" amid her treatment, a friend told Myers, "her focus was always on her children … [and] being as positive and optimistic as possible was all for them."

As for William, George, Charlotte and Louis were "the calmness in the storm," the aide said. However, when William was away from the children, he was "incredibly pensive" about the situation with Kate.

"His father's illness brought into focus just how quickly his life, and that of his family, as well as the whole landscape of the institution, could change very quickly," the aide explained.

A close friend of William's told Myers that Kate's diagnosis "was like being hit by a bus — sudden, brutal and completely disorienting" for the prince.

"One moment life was normal, and the next, everything changed. He worships [Kate], truly. She’s his world, and when the diagnosis came, it was as if the ground beneath him vanished," the friend said. "He talked about the rug being pulled, but it was more than that, it was heartbreak, fear and helplessness all at once."

Princess Kate underwent a planned abdominal surgery in January 2024. Although the concern was originally believed to be noncancerous, she publicly announced two months later that tests found cancer and chemotherapy was recommended by her medical team.

She said in her video message, "This, of course, came as a huge shock, and William and I have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family. As you can imagine, this has taken time. It has taken me time to recover from major surgery in order to start my treatment. But, most importantly, it has taken us time to explain everything to George, Charlotte and Louis in a way that is appropriate for them, and to reassure them that I am going to be okay."

Kate felt compelled to make a public announcement after seeing the public's warm reception to King Charles' cancer news and hoping that she could encourage others in similar circumstances.

Princess Kate announced that she had completed her chemotherapy in September 2024 and revealed that she was in remission in early 2025.

"I wanted to take the opportunity to say thank you to The Royal Marsden for looking after me so well during the past year," Princess Kate said in a message shared on social media in January 2025. "My heartfelt thanks goes to all those who have quietly walked alongside William and me as we have navigated everything. We couldn’t have asked for more."

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