Inside Kate Middleton and Prince William’s Most Relatable Chapter Yet

William, meanwhile, had already pressed pause on his own schedule earlier in the year after Kate’s surgery and his father’s treatment for an enlarged prostate. But after Charles shared Feb. 5 that he’d been diagnosed with cancer, the heir to the throne knew he had to get back to work as soon as possible as the youngest and most popular senior royal still in commission. (According to the latest YouGov poll from the first quarter of 2024, he trails only his wife and, still at No. 1, the late queen.) 

“They are very good at keeping calm and carrying on, no matter what’s going on behind closed doors,” royals correspondent Sharon Carpenter told E! News after Charles’ announcement. “We continually see this commitment to duty no matter what.”

At the same time, she added, “We look at them oftentimes as made of steel and just nothing affects them, they aren’t led by their emotions and they never seem to be ill, they’re not real people. Knowing they’re just like us is a really good way to encourage others to be on top of their own health.”