Princess Kate’s health announcement left fans around the world devastated and heartbroken, but it was said to be unbearable for those closest to her.
According to a source, the Princess of Wales’ illness even reopened an ‘old wound’ for Prince William, with the claim that the future monarch was not ready to accept the truth about his wife.
A royal author said: “When Catherine fell ill, it wasn’t just a medical crisis. It was the reopening of an old wound he had spent decades learning to live around.”
Royal expert Ingrid Seward, in “Catherine & Diana”, wrote that the shock of the diagnosis, announced by Catherine in an emotional video filmed at Windsor, “carried with it the unmistakable scent of “déjà vu.”
Exploring the very different lives of the two Princesses of Wales, the author explained how both women have shaped the royal position. Seward once interviewed Harry and William’s mother, and she shares what kind of personality from outside the family ends up on the inside.
She believes William experienced the same “sense of being thrust into a story he had never chosen, one that had already taken too much from him”.
According to Seward, the future King did “everything in his power to shield” his wife from the world, although he resumed public-facing duties a month after the diagnosis was made public.
“The thought that he might lose her was intolerable to William, so he made sure he wouldn’t – by being there at every turn,” the expert added.
She went on to say: “Literally our family couldn’t cope without her, so she’s been absolutely stunning really.”
The heir to the British throne and Princess Catherine have always faced everything together, and even though her illness may have reopened “old wounds,” they have reportedly emerged stronger than ever.
King Charles and Kate’s wider family have also been praised for their unwavering support, which helped the Princess cope with a situation that was sudden and deeply distressing, given that cancer remains one of the biggest killers in the world.
In the end, Kate’s resilience, courage and unbreakable spirit won out over the illness.