The Prince of Wales reached out to radio host Zoe Ball and her mother during her final days
Prince William showed quiet compassion in a personal act of kindness toward radio presenter Zoe Ball and her late mother, Julia, who was battling terminal pancreatic cancer.
Julia passed away in April 2024 at age 74, just weeks after her diagnosis. Speaking on her Dig It! podcast with co-host Jo Whiley, Zoe revealed that the Prince of Wales had written two heartfelt letters — one while her mother was still alive, and another after her passing.
“I read her Prince William’s letter,” Zoe shared. “And at the time, he was going through his own difficulties, with both his father and his lovely wife facing their own cancer journeys. It was so kind of him to take the time to write. It meant the world to her. She loved that letter.”
The correspondence brought great comfort to Julia in her final days, and Zoe expressed her deep gratitude for the Prince’s thoughtfulness, noting how meaningful the gesture was given his own family’s challenges.
In a moving post following her mother’s death, Zoe wrote, “Sleep tight, dear Mama. Thank you for teaching us how to love unconditionally, to always show courage and empathy. And how, even in the darkest of days, laughter is the greatest of gifts.”
Zoe said the Prince’s compassion came to mind again when she watched his recent Apple TV interview with Eugene Levy, where William reflected on the loss of his grandparents, the late Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip — a reminder of how personal empathy continues to guide his public life.
