Prince William sent deeply personal letters to radio presenter Zoe Ball and her mother, Julia, who was suffering from terminal pancreatic cancer, last year.
The 54-year-old broadcaster revealed the touching correspondence from the Prince of Wales had been sent during her mother’s final days in hospital.
Julia Peckham died in April 2024, aged 74, following her cancer diagnosis announced just weeks earlier in March.
Speaking on her Dig It! podcast with Jo Whiley, Ms Ball described William’s gesture as “beautiful” and explained how she was able to read his letter aloud to her mother during a hospital visit with her brother present.
“I said, ‘Mum, we’ve had a letter,'” she recounted on the podcast.
“I read her Prince William’s letter. And at the time he was going through his own difficulties with both his father and his lovely wife going through their cancer journey,” the BBC Radio 2 breakfast show host said.
Last year, it was announced that both King Charles and Princess Kate were undergoing cancer treatment.
Ms Ball explained that the letter brought tremendous comfort to her mother during those difficult final days.
Prince William sent heartfelt letters to Zoe Ball and her mother in the final days of her cancer battle
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“It meant the world to her. She loved that letter,” Zoe said.
William was then revealed to have sent another heartfelt message to the presenter following her mother’s death.
“I thought it was so kind of him to take the time to write,” Zoe reflected in reference to the difficult period for both families.
At the time of her mother’s death, Ms Ball thanked her in a social media tribute for teaching her family “how to love unconditionally, to always show courage and empathy.”
The broadcaster revealed she read the first letter from the future King aloud to her mother
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The broadcaster’s son Woody also shared memories of his “Granny J,” calling her “a wonderful woman” who always sent him Valentine’s cards.
Ms Ball was reminded of William’s thoughtful gesture whilst watching his Apple TV interview with Canadian comedy actor Eugene Levy.
In the unexpected appearance on the travel programme, the future King reflected on the loss of his grandparents, the late Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip.
“I do miss my grandmother, and my grandfather,” William began in the candid discussion.
William opened up on his own feelings of loss in his interview with Eugene Levy
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When asked about how he adjusted to their absence, William confirmed: “Yeah, it’s been quite a bit of change.”
“You think about them not being here anymore and particularly being in Windsor, for me Windsor is her,” he continued.
“So, she loved it here, she spent most of her time here.
To that end, the Prince added: “Showing you around today is very much a case of trying to make sure I’m doing it in the way she’d want you to see it.”