Former advisor talks in documentary: Kate's cancer diagnosis was "low point" for Prince William

A former advisor to Prince William provides insight into his time in the royal family in a TV documentary. He also remembers the moment when Princess Kate was diagnosed with cancer.

Jason Knauf was considered one of Prince William's most important advisors for several years. In a documentary for "60 Minutes Australia" entitled "Where There's A Will", the former palace employee also talks about how much the British heir to the throne was affected by his wife Kate's illness.

Knauf explained that William had reached his "lowest point" after the Princess of Wales was diagnosed with cancer in early 2024. King Charles III had also been diagnosed with the disease shortly before. "Imagine you are Prince William and within a few weeks you find out that both your wife and your father have cancer. I could hardly believe it," Knauf recalls. He called the prince and expressed his condolences for this "terrible" situation. Knauf says in the documentary that he had never seen the heir to the throne so depressed before.

Prince William is said to have been further burdened by the "crazy conspiracy theory stuff" on social media. After an announced abdominal operation at the beginning of last year, Princess Kate withdrew from public life for months. This led to rumours rife. British media speculated about a marital crisis, another pregnancy, cosmetic surgery or a mental crisis on the part of the princess, among other things.

There was a clear reason why she and Prince William did not go public with their cancer sooner, said Knauf: "They did not want to announce that she had cancer because they had not yet told the children and were still trying to find the right way to tell them." He and the prince often spoke about how the royal couple prepare their children for a life in the public eye. Prince William often worries about his children because he himself grew up with intense media attention.

"Hard and sad"

His former advisor stressed in the TV documentary that it is "very difficult" when such personal matters as a cancer diagnosis are discussed in public. The heir to the throne has consciously decided to keep his thoughts on the matter to himself and he believes that those who know him should also respect this attitude. However, the diagnosis was "hard and sad" - especially for all those who know Prince William and Princess Kate personally.

Jason Knauf worked for the royals between 2015 and 2021. He was press secretary for Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan and was also present at their wedding in 2018. A few months later, he accused Meghan in an email of "bullying" subordinate employees, thereby triggering the bullying allegations against her. He has now made a public statement on this for the first time: He would not do anything differently today and has no regrets.

Knauf then became special adviser to William and Kate and then executive director of the Royal Foundation. He also helped establish the William Earthshot environmental award and the Heads Together mental health initiative launched by the royal couple. He also made 36 trips abroad with them. In 2021, he left the foundation and moved abroad. In 2023, Prince William appointed him a Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order at Windsor Castle.