Prince William has broken his social media silence for the first time since his wife, Kate Middleton, revealed her cancer diagnosis several weeks ago. The Prince of Wales took to X, formerly Twitter, to send a personal message to England Lioness Rachel Daly, who recently announced her retirement from international football.
In his message, William wrote, "Thank you for so many unforgettable performances with @Lionesses, @RachelDaly3. Plenty more goals for Villa now! W." The post, signed off with the prince's signature letter "W," marks his first public words since Kate shared her cancer diagnosis with the world.
Rachel Daly, a 32-year-old Aston Villa striker, won 84 caps for England and was part of the European Championship-winning side in 2022, where she started every game in the tournament. In her retirement announcement on social media, she shared a series of photos representing her country with the caption, "Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened."
Since Kate's cancer diagnosis, which was discovered in post-operative tests following her major abdominal surgery in January, Prince William has been spending time with her and their three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, who are currently on their Easter break. The family is spending the holidays together as they adjust to Kate's diagnosis and treatment.
Despite the personal challenges, William continues to balance supporting his wife and family while maintaining his official duties as the president of the Football Association and a dedicated Aston Villa fan. The prince is expected to return to public duties after his children go back to school following the Easter break.
It remains unclear how long Kate will be receiving cancer treatment, but it is understood that she may be keen to attend events when she feels able to, in line with medical advice. However, this will not indicate a return to full-time duties.
In the weeks following the announcement of her cancer diagnosis, Kate has surprised several royal fans with a "beautiful" gesture. Many well-wishers from around the globe sent get-well messages and cards to the princess, and Kensington Palace has been sending replies on her behalf.
One such fan, X user Allexmarie, shared a photo of the thank you card she received after sending a get-well card when Kate's surgery was announced. The card, featuring the Kensington Palace letterhead, reads, "Thank you for your kind well wishes to Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales. Your thoughtful gesture is very much appreciated."
Allexmarie expressed her gratitude and appreciation for the card, writing, "Today I received this beautiful acknowledgement and I can honestly say I shall treasure this my entire life. The envelope has Kensington Palace on the back lol hubby thought he was going to have to get his suit out for a garden party (silly him) but he is just as blown away as I am to receive this beautiful and much-treasured card. Continued prayers and healing to our beautiful Princess of Wales."
In the hours following Kate's cancer announcement, both she and William were said to be "enormously touched" and "extremely moved" by the public's warmth and support. A Kensington Palace spokesperson stated, "The prince and princess are both enormously touched by the kind messages from people here in the UK, across the Commonwealth and around the world in response to Her Royal Highness' message. They are extremely moved by the public's warmth and support and are grateful for the understanding of their request for privacy at this time."
As the royal couple navigates this challenging period, a recent YouGov survey revealed that Kate has been crowned Britain's favorite royal, with 76 percent of Britons holding a positive view of her - a six-point increase since the start of the year. The poll described the Princess of Wales as popular "across the generations," highlighting the public's unwavering support during this difficult time.
