Kate Middleton Kept Her Cancer Diagnosis Secret for So Long Because She "Hadn't Told" George, Charlotte, and Louis Yet
"It was awful, absolutely awful," a former royal aide explained.


Jason Knauf—a former royal aide to Prince William and Kate Middleton—is opening up about his work with the Royal Family in a new interview. As well as sharing his thoughts on what Prince William will be like when he becomes king, Knauf addressed the difficult decisions the Prince and Princess of Wales made in the wake of Kate's cancer diagnosis.
In early 2024, a plethora of Princess Kate conspiracy theories began running wild. Without an official announcement from Kensington Palace—which came later in March 2024—the general public started wondering what might have happened to the Princess of Wales. In a new interview with 60 Minutes Australia (via GB News), Knauf revealed why Kate and William waited to announce the difficult news.
"They didn't want to say yet that she had cancer because they hadn't told the children and they were still working through how to tell the children," Knauf explained.
"They were still working through how to tell the children."
The couple's former royal aide also discussed the Prince of Wales's reaction to the news. "It was awful, absolutely awful," Knauf told 60 Minutes Australia. "It's the lowest I've ever seen him."
Knauf continued, "Within a couple of weeks, if you're Prince William, you find out that both your wife and your father have cancer. I couldn't believe it."
The Princess and Princess of Wales with their three children—Prince George, Prince Louis, and Princess Charlotte.
The former royal aide—who worked with William and Kate for 7 years—also addressed the strange theories that erupted on the internet due to the Princess of Wales's absence from public life. "The problem was that all this crazy conspiracy theory stuff kicked off in the background online," Knauf noted.
In the trailer for Knauf's exclusive interview, the former Royal Foundation CEO spoke about what Prince William will be like as a monarch. "Just what you see is what you get," he told the interviewer. The former royal employee also added that with "every generation, the Royal Family has to reinvent the role for the generation that they serve," which the Prince of Wales has already started doing.
Stay In The Know
Get exclusive access to fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more.

Amy Mackelden is the weekend editor at Marie Claire, where she covers celebrity and royal family news. She was the weekend editor at Harper’s BAZAAR for three years, where she covered breaking celebrity and entertainment news, royal stories, fashion, beauty, and politics. Prior to that, she spent a year as the joint weekend editor for Marie Claire, ELLE, and Harper's BAZAAR, and two years as an entertainment writer at Bustle. Her additional bylines include Cosmopolitan, People, The Independent, HelloGiggles, Biography, Shondaland, Best Products, New Statesman, Heat, and The Guardian. Her work has been syndicated by publications including Town & Country, Good Housekeeping, Esquire, Delish, Oprah Daily, Country Living, and Women's Health. Her celebrity interviews include Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Chastain, the cast of Selling Sunset, Emma Thompson, Jessica Alba, and Penn Badgley. In 2015, she delivered an academic paper at Kimposium, the world's first Kardashian conference.
-
Taylor Swift Styles a Breezy Loewe Dress for a Special Surprise Visit
She made their day.
-
After Season 2's Controversial Ending, Will 'The Devil's Plan' Return for Season 3?
Fans have a lot of thoughts about where the Korean reality show should go.
-
Sydney Sweeney Makes (Faux) Fur Work for Summer
She wear anything she sets her mind to.
-
This Vintage Clip of Kate Middleton Apologizing to Prince William After Beating Him in a Boat Race Is Going Viral on TikTok
"We were sabotaged," Will joked after Kate beat him not once, but twice.
-
The "Cheeky" Joke Prince William Made Referencing a Former Queen at Formal Windsor Castle Event
The Prince of Wales was speaking to 'Bad Sisters' star Anne-Marie Duff at the time.
-
How Prince George and Prince William's "Shared Passion" Made a Windsor Castle Event "Extra Special" for One Attendee
The father and son duo have made quite the impact.
-
Princess Eugenie Has Allegedly "Formed an Alliance" With Prince William, Which Could Impact Her Future Within the Royal Family
A "shared passion" has "brought the cousins closer together."
-
Why Princess Diana Once "Canceled Lunch" at Kensington Palace to Take Prince William and Prince Harry to McDonald's
A former royal chef revealed the relatable reason Diana took her kids to the popular fast food chain.
-
The "Staggering" Drug Smuggling Shipment Prince William Helped Intercept With the Royal Navy in 2008
William experienced "a lot of excitement and a lot of danger," per a royal expert.
-
How Prince William and Princess Kate Are "Preparing" George, Charlotte, and Louis for "Their Future Roles" Within the Royal Family
"William takes his responsibilities...very seriously," a royal expert explained.
-
Prince William and Prince Harry Could Be "Tempted" to Secretly Bid on Their Mother's Outfits in New Auction
Who could blame them?