AceShowbiz - In an interview during his visit to South Africa, Prince William shared his candid thoughts on 2024, a year marked by personal challenges. "It's been dreadful," William said. "It's probably been the hardest year in my life."

Both his father, King Charles III, and his wife, Kate Middleton, were diagnosed with cancer earlier this year. Charles underwent surgery for an enlarged prostate, while Kate received abdominal surgery and underwent chemotherapy for an unspecified cancer.

William praised both Charles and Kate for their resilience, saying, "I'm so proud of my wife, I'm proud of my father, for handling the things that they have done." However, he acknowledged the toll it took on his family. "But from a personal family point of view, it's been, yeah, it's been brutal," he added.

Despite the difficulties, William said he finds comfort in his work and his family. He shared, "I enjoy my work and I enjoy pacing myself and keeping sure that I have got time for my family, too."

He also revealed that his children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, are eco-conscious and minimize their environmental impact. William said he hopes they will watch the Earthshot Prize awards ceremony, an initiative he founded to highlight environmental solutions.

Reflecting on his role as Prince of Wales, William said he enjoys the freedom to lead initiatives like Earthshot. He stated, "That's the future for me. It's very important with my role and my platform, that I'm doing something for good. That I'm helping people's lives and I'm doing something that is genuinely meaningful."

Despite the challenges, William remains optimistic. "But it's more a case of just crack on and you've got to keep going," he said. "I'm actually quite relaxed now. I couldn't be less relaxed this year, so it's very interesting you're all seeing that."