The Prince and Princess of Wales have been "trying to juggle" major pressures behind palace walls, one of which is the prospect of becoming king and queen "quicker than they thought," according to former Vanity Fair editor and royal biographer, Tina Brown.
Brown appeared on CBS Mornings on Monday to discuss Kate's health update, which the royal made on March 22.
In a 371-word statement made to camera in the grounds of Windsor Castle, the princess revealed to the world that she has been diagnosed with cancer following abdominal surgery in January and is undergoing a course of "preventative chemotherapy."
Speaking to CBS Mornings host Jericka Duncan on Monday, Brown said Kate's video statement was "absolutely heartbreaking," going on to add that though the royal's cancer diagnosis will have been hard to process, she and Prince William have also been dealing with other concerns behind palace walls.
"They've had to deal with an enormous amount," she said. "Because what people haven't really thought about is the news Charles, the king, has cancer, which came right as her own operation happened, that brings them much closer to the throne."
Charles was admitted to hospital in January at the same time Kate underwent her abdominal surgery. While he went in for treatment for an enlarged prostate, a week after he was discharged Buckingham Palace announced that tests done at the time of his procedure revealed that the monarch had cancer.
With Charles facing an uphill medical challenge, with a treatment plan in place, attention has been drawn to the line of succession, which sees his eldest son William as his heir and next in line to inherit the throne.
"Whatever the prognosis is for Charles, he's 75 and he has cancer," Brown said. "That brings William and Kate far closer to being king and queen. That, I'm told, has plunged them into tremendous anxiety."
"They're dealing with these two things," she explained. "They may be king and queen much quicker than they thought—maybe even in the next couple of years if things go wrong—and, she has this shocking diagnosis which she never ever thought she would have plus three young children who she has to tell and handle…I think there was genuine chaos behind the scenes and they've been trying to juggle it all."
When contacted by Newsweek Kensington Palace declined to comment.
Buckingham Palace has provided relatively few details about King Charles' health since his cancer diagnosis, though the monarch has been photographed meeting with the prime minister and also a small group of veterans in recent weeks, having reportedly been advised not to engage in large crowds during his treatment.
A positive sign for the monarch came on Tuesday, when Buckingham Palace announced that he would lead members of the royal family to church on Easter Sunday (March 31) for the annual service at St. George's Chapel in the grounds of Windsor Castle.
This will be the biggest event the king has attended in person since his cancer diagnosis was announced.
James Crawford-Smith is Newsweek's royal reporter, based in London. You can find him on X (formerly Twitter) at @jrcrawfordsmith and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page.
Do you have a question about King Charles III, William and Kate, Meghan and Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email royals@newsweek.com. We'd love to hear from you.
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
James Crawford-Smith is a Newsweek Royal Reporter, based in London, U.K. His focus is reporting on the British royal family ... Read more
