Latest Update: AWFUL’ Royal aide tells of Prince William’s devastating phone call after Kate & Charles diagnosed with cancer just weeks apart…..See More

A FORMER royal aide has told of Prince William’s devastating phone call after Princess Kate and King Charles were diagnosed with cancer just weeks apart.

Jason Knauf – who previously worked for the Waleses – said the future monarch experienced his lowest moment last year.

He has also broken his silence on a bullying scandal involving Meghan Markle, in which an email he sent about the duchess’ alleged treatment of staff was leaked to the press.

Meg strongly denied the claims at the time.

Speaking in an appearance on 60 Minutes Australia which aired today, he said: “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. It was awful, absolutely awful. It’s the lowest I’ve ever seen him.”

Kate announced her cancer diagnosis in March 2024 in an emotional video released by Kensington Palace.

The previous month, Charles had confirmed he had also been diagnosed with a form of the disease following a hospital procedure for a benign prostate enlargement.

Mr Knauf went on to say matters were made worse for William – who shares children George, Charlotte and Louis with Kate – due to the “crazy” conspiracy theories about the Princess’ withdrawal from public life.

At the time of her announcement, Kate was said to be recovering after treatment in hospital in January, and hadn’t been seen in public since the previous Christmas.

Days before a scandal erupted after the Palace released an official photo of the royal and her kids, which was pulled by agencies, including Reuters, Getty and Associated Press, over concerns it had been heavily doctored.

This was later admitted by the Firm, with Kate forced to take the blame.

It led to fans online questioning where she was and if she was genuinely ill.

Mr Knauff – who officially worked for William and Kate until 2021 – said at that time “they hadn’t told the children and they were still working through how to tell the children”.

He added that the couple have always had their children’s best interests at throughout Kate’s health battle.

He said they were clear “they had to be parents first” when planning out the year.

Mr Knauf was recognised in the New Year’s Honours list in 2023 for his service to the monarchy.

He was made a Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order (RVO) after more than seven years with the Firm.

Mr Knauf began his career as joint communications secretary for the then-Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Harry and Meghan before becoming a senior adviser for just Wills and Kate.

He was later made chief executive of the Royal Foundation – the charitable arm of their official operations – before stepping down at the end of 2021.

When working for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in October 2018, Mr Knauf raised concerns about the way Meghan was treating junior staff.

He emailed William’s then-private secretary in an apparent attempt to force Buckingham Palace to protect its workers.

Mr Knauf was also involved in Meghan’s copyright lawsuit against a newspaper publisher after it printed extracts of a “personal and private” letter she wrote to her father Thomas.

Evidence given by the ex-PR man was relied upon during an appeal.