Prince William has opened up about the challenges his family has faced, particularly regarding Kate’s battle with cancer and the complexities of parenting during such trying times. He shared that he and the Princess of Wales have encountered some tough questions from their children as they navigate this challenging year.
During an interview with Brazilian TV host Luciano Huck, the Prince of Wales disclosed their approach to handling the situation with their children. He explained that they have been completely transparent with George, 12, Charlotte, 10, and Louis, 7, about the health issues impacting both their mother and King Charles.
“Every family encounters difficult times and challenges, and how you handle those moments is crucial,” William noted.
“We chose to be open with our children, sharing both the good and the bad news. We try to explain why certain things happen and why they might feel upset as a result.”
He acknowledged, “There are many questions that might not have answers, a situation familiar to all parents. There’s no manual for parenting, and we’ve decided to discuss everything openly.”
William also offered a peek into their family life at the palace, describing how he and Kate divide the responsibilities of the school run and make an effort to be as present as possible in their children’s lives.
‘Play dates, taxi driver, sports days, matches, playing in the garden when I can,’ he said. ‘School run most days, I mean Katherine and I share it, but she probably does the bulk of it.’
The royal father also revealed the couple’s cautious approach to technology, confirming that none of the children have mobile phones yet.
In a candid interview with Brazilian TV host Luciano Huck, the Prince of Wales revealed that George, 12, Charlotte, 10, and Louis, 7, have been brave as they come to terms with the health struggles affecting both their mother and King Charles
Britain’s Prince William, Prince of Wales, and Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer arrive for a meeting with young Brazilian leaders from the British Council’s Next Generation programme
‘It is really hard. Our children don’t have phones,’ he explained. ‘When George moves onto secondary school, maybe he’ll have one with limited access.
‘We talk to him and explain why we don’t think it’s right. With full access, children end up seeing things on the internet that they shouldn’t. But with restricted access, I think it’s good for messaging.’
During the interview, filmed in Rio de Janeiro for Huck’s popular Domingão show, the presenter warmly welcomed William on behalf of Brazilians and presented him with a touching photograph of his late mother, Princess Diana, taken during her 1991 visit to São Paulo.
The image showed Diana cradling a child with HIV, a gesture that helped break taboos around the illness at the time.
‘She became a very important figure in the fight against prejudice,’ Huck said, to which William replied: ‘I carry her social and humanitarian legacy with me every day.’
William was in Brazil for his environmental initiative, The Earthshot Prize, before he will represent King Charles at the COP30 climate summit in Belém starting today.
Speaking about Brazil’s role in protecting the planet, he praised the country’s leadership, saying: ‘You have the Amazon, the care for the climate and for nature. Brazil occupies a leadership position in everything I believe in.’
Speaking at the World Leaders Summit in a landmark address, William spoke from the heart about his determination to continue his father’s work on green issues and take them forwards.
He said: ‘We come together today here in the heart of the Amazon … at a pivotal moment in human history.
‘A moment that demands courage, cooperation and unwavering commitment to our planet’s future. A future that belongs not to us, but to our children and grandchildren.
The Prince of Wales (centre) attends the fifth annual Earthshot Prize Awards Ceremony at the Museum of Tomorrow in Rio de Janeiro with Luciano Huck (right)
Prince William took part in a ‘fireside chat’ at Earthshot in Brazil but batted away questions about the Royal Family
‘All of us here today understand that we are edging dangerously close to the earth’s critical tipping points…thresholds beyond which the natural systems we depend on may begin to unravel.
‘The melting of polar ice, the loss of the Amazon, the disruption of ocean currents… these are not distant threats. They are fast-approaching and will affect every one of us, no matter where we live.’
He has had a testing week though after he had to bat away questions from veteran journalist Christiane Amanpour on his uncle Andrew and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in a ‘fireside’ chat with CNN.
Ms Amanpour pointed to William’s recent Apple TV interview with Eugene Levy and asked if could expand on his comments ‘given there has been a lot of change in your family recently’.
However, William batted away the apparent nod to the decision to strip Andrew of all his titles and home, as well as the rift with Harry and Meghan over Megxit.
Without hesitation he decided instead to focus on Earthshot and praised ‘the brilliant people in this room’, calling them ‘action heroes’ and declaring: ‘Change will come from backing them not by what I do’.
But to cheers from the audience he did add: ‘I want to surround myself with people who want to make change and do good in the world’.
Royal watchers have praised his decision to stay quiet. ‘Unlike Harry, William doesn’t air the family laundry in public’, one said.
William was speaking as he prepared for Earthshot’s awards ceremony, where stars including Shawn Mendes and Kylie Minogue turned out to support him.
During his ‘fireside chat’ with the event’s anchor, Ms Amanpour, William spoke of being positive for his own children and young people around the world.
He said: ‘You have to provide a leadership and a vision that there’s good things to come and it’s not all negative.
‘And for my children, particularly, knowing that the planet’s going to be in a better, healthier state because of the people in this room is something I love to tell them when they go to bed – it’s going to be great, your future is going to be as bright as futures gone by and that’s a really important message for all us to hear.’
He added: ‘A world without hope and a world without positivity is a pretty depressing place.’
