Carole Middleton was a huge support for Prince William and her grandchildren during the Princess of Wales's cancer diagnosis, according to royal author Robert Jobson. Speaking to Hello! Magazine, Jobson said Carole was "there to support William and was there all the time for the grandchildren," describing her as "solid as a rock."
Trips to the pub to talk
Jobson detailed how Carole would take her son-in-law out of the house to give him the chance to discuss his family's hardships. "When everything was falling apart and he needed someone to talk to, she was the one," he said. "She took him out to the pub and they would sit and talk. She's been a good sounding-board, a wise head."
Kate stepped back from royal duties in 2024 to focus on treatment and recovery away from the public eye. William also reduced his public appearances during this time to support his wife and care for their children, George, Charlotte and Louis.
William opens up about the 'hardest year'
Last year, William appeared on The Reluctant Traveller with host Eugene Levy, where he spoke candidly about the difficulties his family faced. After a tour of Windsor Castle, the pair went to a local pub, where William admitted: "I'd say 2024 was the hardest year I've ever had. You know, life is sent to test us as well, and being able to overcome that is what makes us who we are."
In the months before that appearance, William praised the bravery of Kate and King Charles during a solo tour in South Africa, while acknowledging the toll their health battles had taken on the family. He said then: "Honestly? It's been dreadful. It's probably been the hardest year in my life. So, trying to get through everything else and keep everything on track has been really difficult. But I'm so proud of my wife, I'm proud of my father, for handling the things that they have done. But from a personal family point of view, it's been brutal."
