The pressure on Prince William has been immense, as he is in line to become the next King of England once Charles hands over the crown. And while there have been accusations that he is the reason Kate Middleton’s health has been in decline, William and his wife are generally considered the ‘good ones’ in comparison to their Sussex counterparts. Harry and Meghan have become fodder for public criticism at this point, but that doesn’t mean the Prince of Wales has had it easy.
In a teaser for Season 3 of The Reluctant Traveler, Canadian comedian Eugene Levy’s Apple TV+ Show, Prince William tells the actor that “2024 was the hardest year I’ve ever had.” The royal son continues, saying how overcoming hardships in life is what makes people who they are. It goes without saying that the Prince was clearly referring to his struggles when Catherine, Princess of Wales was diagnosed with cancer back in January of last year. Fortunately, Kate Middleton has since announced she was cancer-free in September after undergoing months of treatment. Still, the mental and physical strain her sickness had must have affected her and her husband greatly.
Prince William Doesn’t Know What It’s Like to Truly Struggle, Critics Say
Dealing with cancer is no joke and can be devastating, both for the victim and their family members. However, some fans of the Royal Family believe that even Prince William, as different as he is from his controversial brother, shouldn’t be able to say that life is hard, considering that he’s royalty. A comment on Reddit with hundreds of upvotes reads, “They’re always all about self-pity,” referring to the Prince and Princess of Wales. “So many people battle cancer and still have to struggle like everyone else. You took a year off, and you weren’t even the one with cancer!“
Others added that they highly doubt he was even by Kate’s side the whole time she was receiving cancer treatment. Not to mention, he has a household of servants to tend to literally any of their needs, including cooking, cleaning, childcare, and even basic errands. “They didn’t have to worry about money or wait for treatment either,” adds a commenter. Another points out how Prince William “likes to center everything on him.” The year his mother or his grandmother died should have been much worse for him, critics argue. Instead, he claims it’s the year Kate’s cancer was announced, from which she later recovered, no small thanks to their privileged position as Royals. “That man has no idea [how] to live in the real world,” a commenter concludes.
Whatever the case, whether it’s taxpayers paying for a princess’s treatment or someone struggling to pay out of their own pocket with unfair insurance, cancer is horrible for anyone. Yet, it’s understandable why average people online would see any privileged individual, be it a wealthy nepo-celebrity or a royal prince, as someone who should never whine about their problems. After all, it is true that they might never know what it’s truly like to struggle.
