The comments came as William gave an open interview to journalists while in South Africa, where he discussed the difficulties he has faced in balancing royal duties with worrying health issues in his family. In what he described as his most open interview to date, Prince William admitted that the past year had been a particularly difficult one for him.

He said, "It's been horrendously probably the most difficult year of my life." During a four-day trip to Cape Town as part of the Earthshot Awards, the Prince of Wales spoke about how he manages both official duties and personal family health challenges. He bluntly mentioned, "It's been really tough trying to get through everything and keep things on track," referring to the overall situation.

In conversations with UK media, William shared his admiration for the way his family members have dealt with his father's health challenges. He said, "I'm very proud of my wife and my dad for what they've done," but he personally noted that, from a family perspective, it has been an incredibly difficult experience.

He dismissed claims that he seemed more relaxed, firmly stating, "I couldn't be more relaxed this year." Meanwhile, royal biographer Richard Fitzwilliams commented to GB News, confirming that there was no doubt about the intense pressure William was facing. He stressed that the term "brutal" certainly applied to William's situation.

His father's recent health problems and public struggles with his wife, Catherine, were conveyed in a deeply emotional way. Fitzwilliams noted that being in the spotlight as the world's most famous royal family brought with it a great deal of pressure and speculation, which only added to the already hostile atmosphere at the start of the year.