‘He’s got a lot on his plate’: Prince William thrust into ‘difficult’ position as crisis leaves him stretched between duty and family

To say 2024 has been a tough year for Prince William is a bit like saying Prince Harry is a bit estranged from the Royal Family. The Prince of Wales has had one of the most taxing years of his year over the past 12 months, as he has had to deal with both his father, King Charles, and wife, Kate Middleton, being diagnosed with cancer. That’s a lot for anyone to cope with, let alone factoring in holding up the British monarchy at the same time.

With both the king and Princess Catherine out of action for much of this year, William has been working in overdrive, appearing at countless Royal functions and public events in his father’s stead and without his wife by his side. As recently evidenced by the latest polls, it’s certainly helped his popularity, as the prince is currently the U.K.’s most favorable member of the Royal Family. Not to mention his facial hair transformation has earned him a different kind of popularity.

Even so, all of that is likely little consolation given how trying 2024 has been for William.

“I don’t envy him”: Prince William praised for maintaining “very difficult” balancing act after awful year

While speaking to The Mirror, Royal author and expert Andrew Morton has heaped praise on Prince William for his deft handling on what was an incredibly precarious year for both William’s family and the Royal Family as a whole. William was already next in line to the throne, but this year he’s essentially had to step into the top spot himself, all while aiding his father and wife through their illnesses.

“I don’t envy his role at the moment – he’s got a lot on his plate,” Morton admitted. “But William is handling it as well as you can do when you’ve got a wife who has been seriously ill and three children who need support and comfort. For anyone dealing with a long-term illness, especially in that kind of position, it’s very difficult.”

In contrast to how the Royals typically maintain a stuff upper lip about all personal matters, times have been so challenging recently that William has opened up about his emotional state to the press. “It’s been dreadful,” the prince confessed during a trip to Cape Town in November. “Probably the hardest year of my life.” And considering that life includes the time his mother, Princess Diana, died when he was 15 that goes to show the severity of what he’s gone through. “From a personal family point of view, it’s been brutal,” he conceded. “I’m so proud of my wife, I’m proud of my father, for handling the things they have done.”

It’s unclear if throwing himself into his Royal duties was a hindrance to William during this time or something that actually kept him going through this painful period, but either way it’s certainly helped steer the ship during the family’s time of need. Morton praised the prince’s “maturity, common sense, and empathy” for appearing at so many public events throughout the year. He handled it the best he could, but it’s fair to say William is no doubt keen to ring in the new year and say goodbye to 2024.