Prince William has disclosed that he opted out of attending this year’s Olympic Games, as he wished to avoid exposing his wife to COVID while she was receiving chemotherapy.
The royal mentioned that he chose not to participate alongside other dignitaries, including Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, at the event held in Paris in July, due to concerns that he might contract the virus and inadvertently transmit it.
In March, the Princess of Wales publicly shared her diagnosis of cancer and indicated that she was undergoing chemotherapy, a treatment which can compromise the body’s defense against infections like COVID.
Last month, the royal announced that she had finished her treatment.
During an interaction with Team GB Olympic swimmers Adam Peaty and Tom Dean, alongside Paralympians Maisie Summers-Newton and Louise Fiddes, at Birtley Community Pool in Gateshead on Thursday, Prince William made these remarks.
Peaty narrowly missed winning a gold medal in the men’s 100m breaststroke in Paris, settling for silver, before revealing the next day that he had tested positive for COVID.
Prince William. Pic: PA
Thousands line the banks of the River Seine for the Olympics opening ceremony in July. Pic: AP
Possibly alluding to Peaty’s situation, the royal stated: “I was very eager to be there but, I have to confess, after reading an interview regarding COVID, I realized, since my wife was obviously receiving chemotherapy, that I didn’t want to risk bringing COVID home.
“Adam kindly reminded me that it was still a concern. However, we watched the entire event. We stayed glued to it each day.”
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Prince William visited the facility to advocate for swimming. The venue was reopened in September following a community crowdfunding initiative to combat its closure due to budget cuts last year.
He shared with the four athletes that he and the Princess of Wales “cherish” swimming and that his son George had started scuba diving.
Adam Peaty (left) converses with the Prince of Wales. Pic: PA
The royal expressed: “He’s 10 years old. We thought he might panic at first. Instead, he absolutely loves it.
“It’s all about introducing him to the aquatic world.”
The Prince of Wales interacts with schoolchildren at Birtley Community Pool. Pic: PA
Addressing the pool, he remarked: “We aim to replicate this throughout the nation because swimming is an essential life skill.
“Being an island nation, we should all have the opportunity to learn how to swim.”
This announcement coincided with the Royal Foundation of the Prince and Princess of Wales revealing a new collaboration with Birtley Community Pool to offer swimming lessons and lifeguard training.
