Prince William speaks out amid family dramas: ‘Get away from it all’

The Prince of Wales has popped up at a glitzy event alongside Tom Cruise, where he directly addressed Charles and Kate’s recent struggles.

Prince William has addressed his family’s current health struggles, joking at a charity event in London that he needs to “get away from it all.”

The Prince of Wales made the remark during his speech at a gala dinner in support of London’s Air Ambulance Charity this week, which came just days after it was revealed that his father, King Charles, is being treated for cancer.

William’s wife, Kate, the Princess of Wales, is also currently recuperating after undergoing abdominal surgery.

“I’d like to take this opportunity to say thank you, also, for the kind messages of support for Catherine and for my father, especially in recent days – it means a great deal to us all,” he told guests.

“It’s fair to say the past few weeks have had a rather ‘medical’ focus … So I thought I’d come to an air ambulance function to get away from it all!”

William thanked everyone for their “kind messages”. Picture: Daniel Leal – WPA Pool/Getty Images

William served as an air ambulance pilot in East Anglia and has been patron of the organisation since 2020.

Among those in the audience on Wednesday was one of the charity’s most high-profile supporters, Tom Cruise, who was targeted by William in a joke about his famous sky-high film stunts.

“Here in London, the current aircraft have served magnificently. But our capital city needs a new fleet … By September, we need the two new red birds – decked with the latest kit such as night vision – in our skies,” the prince said.

“I should also take this opportunity to give a mention to my – our – fellow pilot, Tom Cruise. “Tom, huge thanks for supporting us tonight … and if you wouldn’t mind not borrowing either of the new helicopters for the next Mission: Impossible, it would be appreciated.

“We have all seen on our screens that – how can I put it? – you seem to have a different take on ‘normal wear and tear’ to the rest of us … It’s not the kind that buffs out, that’s for sure.”

Tom Cruise posed with William at the event. Picture: Daniel Leal – WPA Pool/Getty Images

William’s appearance at the gala coincided with his estranged brother’s departure from the UK, after a whirlwind visit from his new home in California.

Prince Harry reportedly spent less than an hour with his father on Wednesday, after making a solo dash across the Atlantic as news of the monarch’s cancer diagnosis broke.

While the frosty relationship between the Duke of Sussex and Charles has reportedly thawed somewhat, it was understood early on that the brothers had no plans to see each other during Harry’s visit.

The pair have not spoken for months amid the fallout from Harry and Meghan’s numerous public criticisms of the royal family, which regularly focused upon William and Kate.

Originally published as Prince William speaks out amid family dramas: ‘Get away from it all’