With Father’s Day here, there’s no doubt Kate as well as Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, will want to make it a very special one for Prince William
18:02, 15 Jun 2025Updated 18:02, 15 Jun 2025
The Prince and Princess of Wales with their children at Trooping the Colour today(Image: Ian Vogler / Daily Mirror)
Prince William has been a pillar of strength for the Princess of Wales throughout her battle with cancer, prioritising her and their three children above all else.
With Father’s Day upon us, it’s certain that Kate, along with Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, will want to make it an extra special day for him.
This time last year, the family was still coming to terms with Kate’s cancer diagnosis and her ensuing chemotherapy treatment as she geared up for her first significant public appearance since her startling health revelation at Trooping the Colour.
Read more Prince Louis’ unexpected conversation with Prince George revealed by lip reader
However, the situation seems much brighter now, with the princess in remission from cancer and gradually taking on more Royal duties.
Both William and Kate were seen beaming with pride as they watched their children participate in VE Day commemorations last month.
This is a stark contrast to the previous year when Kate was hospitalised for major abdominal surgery. William immediately cleared his schedule to be there not just for his wife, but also for their three children.
During a trip to South Africa, he candidly shared that it had been a ‘brutal’ year for the family and one of the most challenging of his life as he also grappled with his father, the King’s cancer diagnosis.
But a year later, the Wales family finds themselves in a very different place, reports the Mirror.
Former BBC Royal correspondent Jennie Bond tells the Mirror that this Father’s Day will be one where Kate will particularly want to express her gratitude for her husband for all he does as a father.
She detailed: “I’m sure Catherine will want to make a real fuss of William after the year and a half they’ve been through.
“The truth is, though, that they’ll probably both be rather knackered because the Trooping the Colour is the day before!
“So they’ll probably be spending Father’s Day at home in Windsor – or very possibly with Catherine’s family in Berkshire.
“Last year Catherine posted a beautiful Father’s Day picture of William and the children with their backs to the camera, on a Norfolk beach, staring out to sea.
“It was a touching portrait of a dad with protective arms around his children and I’m sure it represented how grateful the princess was for the rock-solid support and love that William has given her throughout their marriage – but particularly through the emotional turmoil of cancer treatment.”
It’s increasingly apparent that for William and Kate, raising their brood trumps all else, with family time taking precedence even over Royal customs, such as the decision to forego the usual Easter Sunday service to be together.
The Royal couple prides themselves on being involved parents, often seen doing the school run and accompanying their little ones to various extracurricular activities.
During numerous Royal engagements, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge frequently discuss their children’s hobbies, with George’s passion for football, Charlotte’s enthusiasm for dancing, and Louis’ drumming lessons often taking centre stage. According to Jennie, Kate particularly appreciates how William’s approach to parenting differs from that of previous Royal generations.
She observed: “Both he and Harry learned from their mother that parents can be fun and funny, loving and tactile, hands-on and cuddly. Charles was some of these things too, but he was always extremely busy with his work.
” From the off, though, William has been very obviously hands-on – helping to strap newborn George into the car seat all those years ago (with some trepidation) and sharing all the fun and sleep deprivation of life with a tiny baby.
“Diana once told me that the country was very lucky to have William. I think Catherine is very lucky to have him as well. I think they have put on a united front about their priorities at this stage of their lives: family comes first and sometimes duty has to be put on a bit of a back burner.”
The close-knit family life that William and Kate have cultivated with their children at Adelaide Cottage in Windsor has received the King’s full support. Notably, the King has also faced his own health challenges, including a cancer diagnosis, and continues to undergo weekly treatment.
After undergoing a procedure for an enlarged prostate at the start of 2024, his diagnosis was confirmed and during this time, he also spent a spell at the London Clinic coinciding with Kate’s recovery from major surgery.
Sources let slip that amid hospital stays, the King would “toddle” down the corridors to visit his daughter-in-law Kate, offering encouragement and support as she recuperated.
Subsequent to Kate receiving her cancer diagnosis, it’s understood the King shared an emotional heart-to-heart lunch with her, showing his support once more before her public announcement of the news.
Their mutual sense of humour has been apparent too, showcased last year on the King’s birthday when Kate’s official Prince and Princess of Wales social media account posted a playful snap of the King bedecked in a fabulous pair of sunglasses and adorned with a garland, flashing a broad grin.
Jennie remarked: “In this, they have both had the full support of King Charles – and I think Catherine has very much appreciated this attitude from her father-in-law. Their shared cancer journey has also brought them closer together and I think there’s genuine affection between them.
“He refers to her as his beloved daughter-in-law and, in some ways, I think she is the daughter he always wanted. I remember Diana telling me about how much Charles had hoped their second child would be a girl.”