‘We’ve been very lucky, we hadn’t had many illnesses in the family for a very long time,’ Prince William told Levy, reflecting on the relative good health of Prince Philip and the late Queen Elizabeth II. ‘My grandparents lived until they were in the high 90s, so they were a vision of fitness and stoicism, and resilience, if you like. So, we’ve been really lucky as a family.’
The Windsors’ clean bill of health is what made the news that Kate Middleton and King Charles both had cancer so earth shattering, the Prince revealed. ‘But I think, when you suddenly realise that the rug, if you were, the metaphorical rug can be pulled from under your feet quite quick at any point.’
In one deeply poignant moment, Prince William admitted that the ordeal had taken him to some ‘pretty not great places’. During the conversation, the father-of-three explained: ‘You maybe think to yourself, “It won’t happen to us, we’ll be okay”. Because I think everyone has a positive outlook, you’ve got to be positive. But when it does happen to you, then it takes you into some pretty not great places.’