Prince William is reportedly “deeply shaken” by the double cancer diagnosis of King Charles and his wife, Duchess Kate.
A new royal biography, The Windsor Legacy, claims the 43-year-old Prince of Wales wanted to take a step back from royal duties in 2024, according to excerpts obtained by the Daily Mail.
However, his request was denied by his sick father.
The book, written by biographer Robert Jobson, also notes that William and Middleton, 43, “became more religious” as they struggled through a difficult year.
Mr Jobson wrote: “Although not previously known as a regular worshiper, William now attends church more frequently than before, although as privately as possible.”
A representative for Kensington Palace did not immediately respond to Page Six’s request for comment.
William previously gave an update on his father and wife’s cancer when he appeared in Eugene Levy’s The Reluctant Traveler in October.
After acknowledging his wife’s cancer-free status as “great news”, the prince revealed that his father’s respective battles with cancer were “going well”.
“Everything is going in the right direction and that’s all good news,” he added.
In the episode, William reflected on the enormous strain Middleton’s diagnosis had placed on his family of five, saying: “You might be thinking, ‘It’s not going to happen to us, we’ll be fine.'”
“You have to be positive because I think everyone has a positive outlook. But when that happens to you, it puts you in a pretty bad place,” William continued.
In September, Charles, 76, gave an update on his health, saying he was “not feeling too bad.”
Middleton finished chemotherapy in September 2024 and announced in January that her cancer was in remission.
“I remain focused on my recovery,” she wrote at the time in a lengthy statement. “As anyone who has ever been diagnosed with cancer knows, it takes time to adjust.”
The Princess of Wales has since resumed her royal duties.
Most recently, she and William celebrated their move to Forest Lodge in Windsor Great Park, England, with a private pub party earlier this month.
Sources told the US Sun that the family chose to relocate to forget Middleton’s March 2024 cancer diagnosis.
“The move gives them a fresh start and a chance to open a new chapter. It’s a chance to leave some of their more unhappy memories behind,” a source told The Sun.
