Prince William has opened up about his wife Princess Catherine’s surprising family history while meeting with World War II veterans to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day.
William attended the event in Portsmouth, England, on Wednesday alongside his father King Charles and Queen Camilla, but the Princess of Wales was absent due to her ongoing cancer treatment.
Speaking to war veterans and their families, the Prince of Wales gave a brief update on his wife’s condition amid her chemotherapy treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer.
“She is better, thanks. She would’ve loved to be here today,” he said.
The future monarch also spoke with an elderly man who served as a codebreaker during the war and bonded with the veteran over a surprising link to Kate.
“My wife’s grandmother did the same sort of thing as you. Catherine only found out at the end of her life,” William said.
Valerie Middleton, Kate’s beloved late grandmother, served as a Voluntary Aid Detachment with the British Red Cross during World War II.
Middleton also worked in the Second World War Government Code and Cypher School (GC&CS) in Bletchley Park as a code breaker.
Code breakers were crucial to the Allied victory in World War II by intercepting and breaking high-level encrypted enemy radio and teleprinter communications by Nazi Germany and Japan.
After bonding with the veteran over their link to the legendary Bletchley Park, the Prince of Wales then warmly wished the elderly war hero well with a touching tribute.
“We want you here in five years time for the 85th,” he said.
The emotional moment came one day after a controversial tabloid article alleged that Kate may never fully return to duties after completing her cancer treatment.
On Tuesday, a source told American outlet Us Weekly that the future Queen Consort is “reevaluating what she’s going to be able to take on when she comes back”.
“She may never come back in the role that people saw her in before,” the source said.
“She’s not able to see many people because she is susceptible to getting sick and they don’t want her compromised, but she’s up and about.”