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Home / Entertainment

Prince William reflects on 2024 struggles during Windsor Castle TV appearance

Bang Showbiz
26 Sep, 2025 10:48 PM4 mins to read

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William, Prince of Wales, stars in an upcoming episode of Eugene Levy's Apple TV+ travel series, The Reluctant Traveler, and the royal told the actor that "2024 was the hardest year I've ever had". Photo / Getty Images

William, Prince of Wales, stars in an upcoming episode of Eugene Levy's Apple TV+ travel series, The Reluctant Traveler, and the royal told the actor that "2024 was the hardest year I've ever had". Photo / Getty Images

Prince William has declared that “2024” was the “hardest year” of his life.

The 43-year-old heir to the throne was given the news last year that his 76-year-old father King Charles and his wife, Catherine, Princess of Wales, had cancer.

Now, in an appearance on Eugene Levy’s Apple TV+ travel series The Reluctant Traveler, William admitted those 12 months were unbelievably tough on him.

In a preview clip from an upcoming episode of the show – for which Eugene, 78, is invited on a tour of Windsor Castle – the Prince of Wales spoke candidly to the American Pie star over a pint of beer in a pub, admitting: “I’d say 2024 was the hardest year I’ve ever had”.

“You know, life is sent to test us as well, and being able to overcome that is what makes us who we are.”

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In the episode of the eight-part globetrotting series – which takes Levy to some of the world’s most beautiful countries – the Emmy Award-winning actor travels to London.

At the start of the preview clip, the Schitt’s Creek star can be seen taking an open-top bus tour of the UK’s capital city.

While on the excursion, he said he had “never felt more like a tourist”.

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The clip then cuts to Levy in his lavish hotel room, where a butler hands him a letter, which was revealed by the actor as from Kensington Palace.

The letter, written in January 2025, said: “Dear Eugene, I heard that your travels have brought you to the UK, and I wondered if you might like to see Windsor Castle?

“If you’re free at 10 tomorrow, why don’t you pop down to the castle for a private tour. Would be great to see you! With best wishes.”

It was signed by Prince William.

After a burst of laughter after finding out the letter was penned by the royal, the clip cuts to a wide shot of the breathtaking Windsor Castle – what is said to be the royal family’s favourite residence – in Windsor, Berkshire, southeast England.

Levy can then be seen shaking hands with Prince William – who is standing on his electric scooter – in the castle’s quadrangle.

The actor said: “Your Royal Highness”, with the Prince of Wales then replying: “Nice to see you”.

Prince William can then be seen walking Levy through a room inside the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world.

The royal quipped: “We provide this service for everyone. We do personalised tours everywhere.”

Then, the clip cuts to a moving shot of Prince William, his 43-year-old wife Catherine, Princess of Wales, and their children Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and 7-year-old Prince Louis’ black cocker spaniel Orla roaming around Windsor Great Park.

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Orla was joined by her master and Levy, and then the camera panned to the actor, who asked the Prince of Wales: “What do you do when you’re home?”

Laughing, the heir to the throne replied: “Sleep!

“When you’ve got three small children, sleep is an important part of my life.”

The clip then turned to the pub scene where Prince William admitted that 2024 was “the hardest year I’ve ever had”.

Princess Catherine announced her undisclosed cancer diagnosis in March 2024, and she began chemotherapy treatment in February 2024, after cancerous cells were found in tissues removed during an operation at the London Clinic in January 2024.

She revealed in January 2025 that she was in remission.

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King Charles’ cancer diagnosis was announced in February 2024, and he has received treatment for an undisclosed form of the disease as an outpatient.

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