Prince William interrupted his Easter break to send a personal message on social media, marking his first public words since the princess’s cancer diagnosis was revealed. The father of three paid tribute to England’s lioness Rachel D, sharing a personal message this afternoon to the official Instagram account he shares with his wife. Since Catherine revealed her cancer diagnosis several weeks ago, William was dealing with his dad and his beloved wife’s cancer diagnosis without anyone knowing, taking extra care of his three little ones during their school holidays. Nasty rumors related to Princess Catherine’s health also put more pressure on her.
Prince William finds himself thrust into a position of unprecedented challenge and responsibility, balancing his concerns with royal duties. Today, he reacted to the news that England lioness Rachel D has decided to retire from international football. The message comes as William continues to balance supporting his wife and family and maintaining his official duties. He is due to return to public duties after his children return to school following the Easter break.
The family has kept a low profile in recent weeks as the Princess of Wales takes time to recover amid rounds of preventative chemotherapy to stop the disease after it was discovered during major abdominal surgery earlier this year. From the untimely loss of his beloved mother, Princess Diana, to the recent passing of his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, William has navigated a path fraught with grief and loss. The often fraught relationship between his late mother-in-law, Princess Diana, and the media surely played a part in the Wales’s guarded approach when it comes to details of home and family life.
Yet it’s easily forgotten that Diana’s dealings with the press had once been overwhelmingly positive, a lesson that her son William and Katherine will most certainly have learned. The prince and princess have been trying to face down the sewer of social media and maintain some dignity, and there can be no victory over the trolls prepared to say and do anything at all, apparently at no cost to themselves. It is not known how long Kate will be receiving treatment, but it is understood she may be keen to attend events as and when she feels able to, in line with medical advice, although this will not indicate a return to full-time duties.
In an emotional video message at the end of March announcing the news, the future queen said it had been an incredibly tough couple of months for her family, but she was well and getting stronger every day. The rumor mill was set off by William’s sister not attending a memorial service in Wier on Tuesday for unknown personal reasons, even though the palace has insisted the princess is still recovering well. But the princess and the lack of explanation for it have exposed how high the risk for the strategy of keeping quiet is, as a vacuum of information is quickly filled by rumor and speculation.
The voracious appetite for news about the princess hasn’t been helped by the perception that the king is being much more open about his cancer diagnosis. Former Palace Communications Secretary Elsa Anderson said the intense interest in the royals isn’t new. She had dozens of phone calls when Prince Philip attended an engagement with a plaster on his hand. But the comparison between the king and Catherine and what they’re sharing isn’t fair.