A former senior royal aide has revealed that Prince William was at his "lowest" following the Princess of Wales's cancer diagnosis last year.
Jason Knauf, who previously served as chief executive of William and Kate's Royal Foundation, made the revelation during an interview with 60 Minutes Australia.
"It was awful, absolutely awful. It's the lowest I've ever seen him," Knauf said, who stepped down from his position at the end of 2021.
The 43-year-old former aide's comments offered a rare glimpse into the personal impact of the health crisis on the Prince of Wales.
Royal aide claims Prince William was at his 'lowest' following Princess Kate's cancer diagnosis
Getty
Within weeks, Prince William faced the devastating news that both his wife and father had been diagnosed with cancer.
"Within a couple of weeks, if you're Prince William, you find out that both your wife and your father have cancer. I couldn't believe it," Knauf told the Australian programme.
Speaking to reporters during a visit to South Africa last year, Prince William himself described the period as "the hardest year in my life."
"It's been dreadful. So, trying to get through everything else and keep everything on track has been really difficult," the Prince of Wales said.
Former royal aide Jason Knauf appeared on 60 Minutes Australia to discuss Prince William's future role as monarch
60 Minutes
Kate's diagnosis was made public in March last year, with the Palace initially delaying the announcement for a crucial reason.
Knauf continued: "They didn't want to say yet that she had cancer because they hadn't told the children and they were still working through how to tell the children."
The former aide also addressed the speculation that emerged during this period: "The problem was that all this crazy conspiracy theory stuff kicked off in the background, online. 'Was she really ill?'"
The Princess of Wales is now in remission, while King Charles continues to receive treatment.
Kate revealed her cancer diagnosis to the world in March 2024 and William cared for his wife
GettyKnauf, who worked closely with both William and Harry, has maintained discretion regarding the brothers' relationship.
"It's very difficult to have this stuff play out in the public eye, but he's chosen to keep his thoughts on it private," Knauf said.
The former aide acknowledged the broader impact on the Royal Family: "Of course, it's been hard and sad, especially for all of us who know both of them."
Princess Kate has credited Prince William as a "great source of comfort and reassurance" during her treatment.
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GettyRoyal experts have described William as an "incredibly supportive" husband whose family remains his top priority.
Knauf was made a Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order in the 2023 New Year Honours List.
Before joining the royal household, the American-born former corporate affairs executive worked across various institutions, including the office of the New Zealand prime minister, HM Treasury and the Royal Bank of Scotland.
He led a review of the Royal Foundation's role in March 2019 before becoming its chief executive later that year.
During his tenure, Knauf oversaw the launch of the Foundation's Earthshot Prize - William's £50million environmental initiative that recognises solutions to "repair the planet".
