Prince William Reveals the Real Reason He Didn't Go to Paris Olympics Was to Protect Kate Middleton
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The Princess of Wales was still undergoing chemotherapy at the time, and her husband "didn't want to risk bringing COVID home"
Chris Jackson/Getty Prince William and Kate Middleton in Cardiff, Wales on Oct. 3, 2023.
Prince William says that he didn't attend the 2024 Paris Olympics because he "didn't want to risk" contracting COVID amid his wife Kate Middleton's chemotherapy treatment.The Prince of Wales, 42, made the revelation while visiting the reopened Birtley Community Pool in Tyne and Wear, England, on Oct. 3. Many speculated that Prince William would appear at the global games in France over the summer to cheer on his country, as many other European royals did, and he explained that he wasn't there out of a desire to protect his wife's health."Did you manage to get out [to Paris]?" British Olympic swimmer Tom Dean asked Prince William at the pool on Oct. 3, Hello! reported. The inquiry came up during a conversation with his fellow 2024 Paris Olympian Adam Peaty and Paralympians Maisie Summers-Newton and Louise Fiddes. "No, I was so keen to come, but I have to say after reading someone's interview about COVID I decided, because my wife was obviously having chemo, that I didn't want to risk bringing COVID home, so Adam very kindly reminded me that that was still a thing!" Prince William said, according to the outlet.
OLI SCARFF/POOL/AFP via Getty (From left) Tom Dean, Louise Fiddes, Prince William Maisie Summers-Newton and Adam Peaty at Birtley Community Pool in Tyne and Wear, England on Oct. 3, 2024.
Related: A Complete Timeline of Kate Middleton's Abdominal Surgery and Cancer Diagnosis
"But we watched the whole thing. We were glued to it every day," he added, apparently referring to his family. The Prince and Princess of Wales are parents to Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6, and have evidently passed down their passion for sports.Peaty, 29, tested positive for COVID after winning silver in the men's 100m breaststroke during the Paris Games, and returned to the international competition after isolating, Reuters reported.Princess Kate, 42, has been outside of the spotlight for much of the year after announcing in March that she was undergoing treatment for cancer. She and her husband appeared in a video on Aug. 11 to congratulate Team Great Britain on their success at the Paris Olympics, which they didn't attend in person.
The Prince and Princess of Wales/X.com Kate Middleton and Prince William in a video issued on Oct. 3, 2024.
During his conversation with the athletes on Oct. 3, Prince William said, "We've heard stories up and down the countries of pools closing down, so we thought, 'No, we want to be able to stop this,' " according to the Daily Express.Of the reopening of the Birtley Community Pool, "We want to replicate this across the country, because swimming is such an important part of life," he continued. "We're an island nation. We should all have access to learn how to swim.""Catherine and I both adore swimming," Prince William added. "George loves scuba diving. He was 10 years old, we took him under, thinking he'd freak out, but he absolutely loved it. It's just introduced him to the world of water."
OLI SCARFF/POOL/AFP via Getty Prince William speaks with British Olympians and Paralympians Adam Peaty (2ndR), Tom Dean (L), Maisie Summers-Newton (R) and Louise Fiddes (2ndL) during a visit to Birtley Community Pool in Tyne and Wear, northeast of England, on Oct. 3, 2024 to celebrate its reopening and highlight the importance of access to swimming
On Sept. 9, the Princess of Wales announced in a video message, unprecedented for its intimacy, that she completed chemotherapy treatment. The royal was joined by Prince William and their kids in the montage shot in Norfolk in August, overlaid with audio. "As the summer comes to an end, I cannot tell you what a relief it is to have finally completed my chemotherapy treatment. The last nine months have been incredibly tough for us as a family," Princess Kate said in part. "Life as you know it can change in an instant and we have had to find a way to navigate the stormy waters and road unknown."Elsewhere in the message, the princess said that she was now focused on "doing what I can to stay cancer-free" and that she would "continue to take each day as it comes."
Will Warr Kate Middleton in a video issued on Sept. 9, 2024.
Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage? Sign up for our free Royals newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more!"I am, however, looking forward to being back at work and undertaking a few more public engagements in the coming months when I can," the Princess of Wales continued. "Despite all that has gone before, I enter this new phase of recovery with a renewed sense of hope and appreciation of life," she said. Princess Kate has quietly undertaken a few meetings since, and is thought to hope to attend the Remembrance Day service on Nov. 10 while planning for her annual carol concert in December. On Oct. 2, she appeared at Windsor Castle to meet a budding young photographer who is navigating a rare and aggressive form of cancer. View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Prince and Princess of Wales (@princeandprincessofwales)
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