Prince William is having a difficult time.
Not only does he have to contend with the emotional challenges that come with both his wife Princess Kate and his father King Charles dealing with their cancer diagnoses, but he also has to hold the fort on a more practical level as well. This includes taking care of the children, and keeping up with his work as a senior royal — plus standing in for Kate and Charles where he can.
"It’s been stressful," a source told Us Weekly of the past few weeks. "William feels a profound sense of duty to uphold the monarchy’s stability and inspire confidence in the public that everything will be OK. It’s an immense responsibility."
Unfortunately, it's not just these two illnesses that are rocking the monarchy at the moment: "It was always anticipated that Charles would have three working siblings and two working children and their wives, and that would be a sustainable footing," royal historian Gareth Russell told the publication.
Of course, that's no longer the case: Although Princess Anne, Prince Edward and Duchess Sophie are all hard-working royals, Prince Andrew has been disgraced since his ties with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein were revealed and he was himself accused of sexual abuse.
Meanwhile, Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle stepped down as senior royals in 2020, leaving just one of the King's two sons to take on official royal duties. Since William's wife is also ill at the moment, there are very few working royals left to visit organisations around the country and generally show face.
But of course, the emotional side of things can't be understated. "He’s got young children, a sick wife and a sick dad, and memories of losing his mom [Princess Diana] early," royal biographer Tessa Dunlop said. "There’s a lot at stake, and he does need support."
Another source claimed that, unsurprisingly, "Around the palace, he looks tense. He clearly has a lot on his mind. The palace is backing off and giving him space."
We wish both the King and the Princess of Wales a swift recovery, and hope that the Prince of Wales feels supported in dealing with his many responsibilities.
