The Princess of Wales is doing “really well” and has been “amazing this whole year,” Prince William has said.
Ahead of the Earthshot Prize awards in Cape Town, he was asked how his wife Kate was doing and replied: “She’s doing really well thanks. Hopefully she’s watching tonight and cheering me on.
“She’s been amazing this whole year and I know she’ll be really keen to see tonight be a success.”
Kate revealed in March she was having preventative chemotherapy following the discovery of pre-cancerous cells.
In September, she announced she had completed her treatment and said her focus now is on “staying cancer free”.
Kate has not travelled to South Africa as she continues her recovery and will instead be watching the ceremony at home in Windsor.
William was wearing a bracelet with the word “papa” on it, given to him by his daughter Princess Charlotte.
He explained: "This is a relic from a Taylor Swift concert that my daughter decided that she wanted to create a bracelet for, and she gave it to me when I came away so I've promised her that I'd wear it and try not to lose it while I was out here."
Much of the prince’s visit to Cape Town this week has focused on young people and the power they have to bring about change.
"Without them the future is looking pretty bleak so these are the game-changers, the innovators, the inventors who are going to make the world a better place for us in future.”
This was something his own children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, were aware of, he added.
"Every family tries to do what they can to help with the environment and we go through the basics of recycling and making sure we minimise water use, turning lights off when you leave the house – we’re sensible with what we do around the environment. I think every family has those conversations."
Ahead of the ceremony, William told has told his Earthshot Prize finalists "we are here for you".
William chatted to the 15 environmental entrepreneurs in the picturesque setting of Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden in the shadow of Table Mountain.
He told the group: "You are all amazing. You should be immensely proud of yourselves. The whole Earthshot team loved hearing about your ideas, the solutions you are all coming up with, and I hope you've found it beneficial to be here together and creating such a great vibe.
"We are here for you for the next 12 months and I want to get around to see as many of you as possible, but good luck tonight."
William will join around 2,000 guests in a sustainable eco-dome for the ceremony on Wednesday evening, which will feature stars like Heidi Klum walking its green carpet alongside the show's hosts - Emmy award winning actor Billy Porter and TV presenter Bonang Matheba.
Dubbed the prince's "Super Bowl" moment, the prize-giving event will recognise environmental solutions to "repair" the planet, with five category winners each receiving £1 million to "scale up" their plans.
The Earthshot finalists - from countries including France, Ghana, the UK and Indonesia - are competing to be named winners in five categories, or Earthshots: protect and restore nature; clean our air; revive our oceans; build a waste-free world; and fix our climate.
The Earthshot Prize's green carpet has been a fixture since William first staged the awards ceremony three years ago in London, followed by Boston and Singapore last year.
Guests have been asked to "rewear" their wardrobe or spotlight African designers to highlight the importance of local talent and sustainable fashion.
