William says past year “probably hardest in my life”

[PrettyFlyforaMaiTai]

William has opened up about how difficult the past year has been with the cancer diagnosis of both his wife and father.

It’s nice to see some light being shed on the perspective of the loved ones of cancer sufferers. I hope that this might inspire a new patronage to help those in a similar position, especially knowing how privileged his family are in terms of comfort, wealth and access to top medical specialist.

news.sky.com/story/prince-william-says-past-year-probably-the-hardest-in-my-life-after-king-and-kate-diagnosed-with-cancer-13250126

How much more slimmed down do you want it? Andrew and Harry are already out of the equation. The king is undergoing treatment for cancer. He's literally been king for just two years. Give him a chance. I don't find him to be particularly pompous, and he stands on ceremony much less than his mother did.

William and Catherine already have a different approach than his father or grandmother, eg selfies/hugging etc.

Serious illness is a leveller but unless you are going through this you have no idea of the added strains of having to get on with making the kids' tea, the massive expenses of hospital appointments ( parking or taxis), fighting the medical professionals to get the right care and a million other things he just won't have to think about. All of that is utterly soul destroying and the privilege and convenience which money and influence confers makes a huge difference.

There was all that speculation that Charles was going to be less of a pompous king and “slim down” the monarchy, he’s tinkered at the edges but done nothing meaningful. William will be the same.

The speculation was fuelled by Charles 'letting it be known' that that was the intended direction of travel.

Instead we have a Sovereign Grant that can never be reduced funding a diminished number of senior royals with understudies wheeled out to plug the gaps, the duchies indulging in side hustles to fleece the taxpayer further and a trumpeted 'handing back' of windfall profits on assets stolen from the nation.

Willy's totally complicit in the side hustle and he's already reducing his workload the number of charitable patronages that we've always been assured are so important to focus on his hypocritical 'big projects'.

Personally I think Willy's even more of an entitled throwback than his self- important Papa. Quite an achievement,

Agree with @CathyorClaire. They really cannot read the room, it's so embarrassing. It's just a shame so many of the population are still enthralled when they throw the crumbs out.

He's a genuine person, he doesn't try to be something he's not, he's humble, he doesn't lecture or patronise the public
are people this brain washed?
he claims to care about homelessness whilst taking in millions from NHS, charities and he and his father have tenants in sub standard homes.
He has no grasp of suffering or worry.

I would like to think that's harsh but sadly I completely agree.

A cynical move dropping a personal snippet to appease the masses.

I suppose it showed him that all the privilege and wealth in the world will not protect you from getting cancer. It must have been quite a humbling thing for him so it's quite possible that it may have had a profound effect on him.

Agree 💯

I think the death of his mother probably taught him that all the privilege and wealth cannot protect you.
His wife in the other hand probably received treatment for something other people wouldn't know they had as they'd still be waiting for the initial operation.

Absolutely agree. Wonder how many NHS patients will receive preventative chemotherapy for pre cancerous cells?

that was one of my thoughts too

and how much coverage did Dispatches get, not very much by all accounts.

No one would have chemo for pre cancerous cells. It would do more harm than good. She had cancer, most likely all removed in surgery but was recommended to have a course of chemo just in case.

No idea why Sky would say pre cancerous cells, that's bad journalism.

Much as I hate to stick up for any of them, Charles has been in the job about two minutes. And for most of the time, the four main players have either been having cancer treatment themselves or supporting their spouse through treatment. There hasn't really been scope for reform.

There has been some small signs of modernising - mainly Kate starting to dress her age and William growing a beard.

We are all speculating aren't we? I mean none of us know what William will do but so far, he seems to be indicating he wants to focus on a few causes and not be a patron of 500 charities.

Anyway, time will tell I guess.

I have noticed there seems to be a push to dismiss Kate's cancer diagnosis which is rather odd.

What a horrible response.

OK. Care to elaborate for a constructive conversation?

For the cynics, he was asked a question in an interview at a pre-planned event that he holds every year. He didn’t randomly just come out with it to get people to feel sorry for him. It’s been a very public debacle and people were bound to ask after his family and see how he was feeling. Perhaps it’s a result of the “not many people have asked me if I’m okay” interview 🤷‍♀️

I would also think that he (and we) are capable of understanding that he has had a tough time and has suffered, whilst acknowledging that he is in a very privileged position. It’s not a race to the bottom. Yes, Charles and Catherine have access to the best medical treatments and don’t have to worry about losing income etc. But I’m sure they would trade it all to not have cancer at all. Especially when the world is watching and analysing their every move and making up rumours of affairs and domestic abuse.

@PrettyFlyforaMaiTai why do you have to bring anyone else into the conversation ie "not many people have asked how I am". No one is being cynical just pointing out how when there is bad press against them the RF drop some snippets about themselves to their subjects to keep them happy. As far as the RF is concerned any member is fair game as long as the "firm" keeps raking in the millions and keeps going as they don't want to be made redundant.

I don't disagree, but I'm sure he was also asked about C4 Dispatches and (perhaps cynically of me) W weaselled his way out by giving the press something 'personal' instead.

Sorry, I've yet to learn how to respond directly to posters.

Thank you.

I'd add, I don't think he was thinking "ooh, that documentary was a bit harsh. What can I say to make people like me?"

The sugars must think we're as thick as they are if they think that anyone concerned about the operation of the Duchies would forget all about that stuff just because W mentioned he'd had s tough year.

It was at the end of his tour, and the interview was mainly about Earthshot.

Do you really think the tour was planned only after the date of the Dispatches broadcast was known?

Do you think the interviewer should not have asked him about anything other than Earthshot? Arguably "yes", but all the family are asked about the recoveries oof the King and the Princess at every chance. Or do you mean that when asked, he should not have answered, because of the timing of the broadcast (why did they choose to coincide with his travels?).

Have you got a transcript of that bit?

It's not mentioned at all in the linked article and I've not spotted it elsewhere

I think it's an assumption on the part of the poster.

If he had been asked his response or non response would be in the press.

It’s a genuine observation. People are open to asking more personal questions about mental health and asking how they are. Whether that’s the back of that interview or not, who knows? But it still plays on my mind when I see questions and responses like these.