(NewsNation) — Prince William’s television interview with Eugene Levy‘s Apple TV+ show “The Reluctant Traveler” has given royal watchers a rare, personal look inside the life of the future King of England.
The Prince of Wales spoke to Levy about his family, health struggles and plans for the monarchy.
Here are a few insights from the episode “Living the Royal Life in the UK.”
Prince William on Kate Middleton’s cancer fight
William, 43, spoke to Levy about the impact felt from his wife Kate Middleton’s cancer diagnosis.
“We’ve been very lucky; we hadn’t had many illnesses in the family for a very long time. My grandparents lived until they were in the high 90s,” William told the “Schitt’s Creek” actor.
His grandparents. Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip lived to 96 and 99 years old, respectively.
Catherine, Princess of Wales, announced she is undergoing cancer treatment. (BBC Studios) 
LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 04: Prince William, Prince of Wales and Catherine, Princess of Wales during their visit to the Natural History Museum’s newly renovated gardens on September 04, 2025 in London, England. The gardens opened in 2024 and serve as a living laboratory, where visitors and scientists can identify and monitor wildlife in an urban environment. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
“They were the vision of fitness, and stoicism, and resilience, if you like. So we’ve been very lucky as a family,” he said. “But I think, when you suddenly realize that the rug, if you were, the metaphorical rug, can be pulled from under your feet quite quick at any point.”
The future king said that 2024 was a very difficult year amid the cancer battles that King Charles and Kate were facing.
In February 2024, the palace announced that Charles had been diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer, discovered during treatment for a benign prostate condition.
A month later, Kate announced her own cancer diagnosis. She revealed she’d undergone six months of preventive chemotherapy in 2024 and is in remission as of January of this year.
“I’d say ‘23-’24 was the hardest year I’ve ever had,” the senior royal admits. “You know, life is sent to test us and being able to overcome that is what makes us who we are.”
Prince William misses grandmother Queen Elizabeth
William gives Levy a tour of the Windsor Castle estate, which held a special place in the late queen’s life, he said.
“Do you miss your grandmother?” Levy asked.
“I do actually, yeah,” William responded. “I do miss my grandmother and my grandfather.”
“It’s been quite a bit of change, so you do sort of — you think about them not being here anymore, and particularly being in Windsor. For me, Windsor is her,” William said.
DUBLIN, IRELAND – MAY 18: Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh arrive to attend a State Banquet in Dublin Castle on May 18, 2011 in Dublin, Ireland. The Duke and Queen’s visit to Ireland is the first by a monarch since 1911. An unprecedented security operation is taking place with much of the centre of Dublin turning into a car free zone. Republican dissident groups have made it clear they are intent on disrupting proceedings. (Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty Images) 
POUNDBURY, DORSET – OCTOBER 27: Queen Elizabeth II tours Queen Mother Square on October 27, 2016 in Poundbury, Dorset. (Photo by Samir Hussein/WireImage)
William said Elizabeth, who died in 2022, loved spending time at Windsor Castle.
“She had her horses here as well, as you can imagine, was a big deal for her. So that’s why she loved it here,” William said.
Prince William wants to change the monarchy
While giving the Emmy Award-winning actor a tour of Windsor Castle, Prince William told Levy that as king, he will make positive changes.
“I think it’s safe to say that change is on my agenda,” he said, in a clip obtained by the BBC. “Change for good, and I embrace that, I enjoy that change. I don’t fear it, that’s the bit that excites me, the idea of being able to bring some change. Not overly radical, but changes that I think need to happen.”
The British monarchy is known for its traditions, something that William understands the importance of, but also wants to examine whether those traditions are still relevant in the modern age, he said.
“There are points when you look at tradition and go, is that still fit for purpose today? Is that still the right thing to do? Are we still doing and having the most impact we could be having?” He told Levy. “So, I like to question things, is what I’m really getting at.”
Prince William mum on relationship with Prince Harry
William doesn’t discuss his tense relationship with Prince Harry, according to the BBC, however, he does mention his brother by name.
FILE – In this file photo dated Wednesday Feb. 28, 2018, Britain’s Prince William and Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, right, sit with Prince Harry, left, and his fiancee Meghan Markle, as they attend the first annual Royal Foundation Forum in London. Under the theme ‘Making a Difference Together’, the event will showcase programmes run or initiated by The Royal Foundation. Links now seem strained between the brothers as William sits in London defending the royal family from allegations of racism and insensitivity. On Thursday July 1, 2021, William and Harry will together unveil a statue of their mother, Princess Diana, on what would have been her 60th birthday.(Chris Jackson/Pool via AP, FILE) 
Prince Harry and Meghan embrace at the Invictus Games in The Hague on April 16, 2022. (Photo by REMKO DE WAAL/ANP/AFP via Getty Images) 
Meghan and Prince Harry pose for pictures after visiting the observatory in One World Trade in New York, on Sept. 23, 2021.(AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)
“I hope we don’t go back to some of the practices in the past that Harry and I grew up in. And I’ll do everything I can to make sure we don’t regress in that situation.”
The pair haven’t spoken since Harry released his memoir, “Spare,” in early 2023, according to NewsNation’s Paula Froelich, who added that Kate and William have “washed their hands” of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.