While the late Queen Elizabeth II called 1992 her own “annus horribilis,” King Charles would likely compare that to 2024. The Princess of Wales’s abdominal surgery and cancer diagnosis, his own cancer diagnosis, and a constant unravelling of Prince Andrew’s involvement with Jeffrey Epstein created a new annus horribilis for The King and the British Royal Family. The small silver lining to 2024 seems to be a strengthened relationship between The King and Princess Kate, who shared the terrible experiences of cancer diagnoses, treatment, and the chaotic media attention that surrounded those events.
The King, who visited Princess Kate in the hospital during her initial surgery, described Princess Kate as his “beloved daughter-in-law” when the Princess of Wales made her own emotional cancer diagnosis announcement. In a statement after the princess’s announcement, a Buckingham Palace spokesman said, “His Majesty is so proud of Catherine for her courage in speaking as she did. Following their time in hospital together, His Majesty has remained in the closest contact with his beloved daughter-in-law throughout the past weeks.”
