Russell Myers: 'William faces a real test with unforgiving responsibility away from family'

Detailed summary

OPINION: In his weekly column, the Mirror's royal editor Russell Myers delves into the Prince of Wales' divisive work with the Duchy of Cornwall, Harry's appearance on Remembrance Day, and the lowkey royal holding it together for the Firm

As we fast approach the end of the year, with the winter jackets firmly out of the wardrobe and the dark nights drawing in, it's only natural that we pause for reflection on everything that has brought us to this moment over the last 12 months or so.

It's not often we get to hear the royals speak candidly about their innermost thoughts and feelings. Yet, the Prince and Princess of Wales have together shown a new side to this ancient and sometimes archaic institution.

In a particularly revealing interview, Catherine speaks of how nature carried her through her cancer recovery and how she has undergone a private battle, away from the headlines and focus of being a central figure in a family that has not been without his trials and tribulations in recent times.

In hospital she was told that her recovery "would not be linear", warned there would be good days and bad days and that healing would take time. She likened it to the rhythm of the natural world, where rest and renewal matter just as much as growth.

Nature, she said, had become her sanctuary, somewhere that asked nothing of her, passed no judgement and simply let her be. She spoke too of the hope that can be found even when times are at their darkest, and of how healing is something we share with others rather than face alone.

The Princess's confession appeared as part of her husband's guest edit of Country Life, where he featured topics close to his heart including mental health in farming communities, a charity founded by a farmer saved from taking his own life by a neighbour, the fight to protect our pubs and his determination that women serving in the military feel safe and respected. But the most powerful pages belong to the people who keep rural Britain going, and the toll it can take on them.

Running through it all is his support for those who live and work on the land through the Duchy of Cornwall and the Sandringham estate. Here lies the real test and one which William is up against.

Charity patronages and…

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Opening of the article, excerpted from Daily Mirror. To read the rest, open the article on the publisher's site.