Prince William said the past year had probably been the "hardest" of his life after a difficult period for Britain's royal family, in which both his father, King Charles, and wife Kate were diagnosed with cancer.

Speaking to British media at the end of a visit to South Africa, the heir to the throne reflected on how he was coping while balancing his royal duties with family time, the BBC, Sky News and other publications reported on Thursday.

Asked how his year has been, William said: "Honestly? It's been dreadful. It's probably been the hardest year in my life. So, trying to get through everything else and keep everything on track has been really difficult."

Charles, 75, who recently traveled to Australia and Samoa, is undergoing treatment for an unspecified cancer which was diagnosed in February.

Kate, 42, underwent preventative chemotherapy for cancer this year, and she has previously described an "incredibly tough" year for the family.

Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.

"I'm so proud of my wife; I'm proud of my father, for handling the things that they have done," William said. "But from a personal family point of view, it's been brutal."

On Wednesday, William hosted the annual awards ceremony for his multimillion-dollar Earthshot Prize in South Africa, which spotlights people who are creating "innovative solutions" for the environment. He made the trip without Kate, as she is still recovering from her treatments. At the event, he said she was doing "really well."

For Prince William, being a royal allows 'freedom' to do charity work

Asked about his role as Prince of Wales, William said, "It’s very important with my role and my platform that I'm doing something for good. That I'm helping people's lives and I'm doing something that is genuinely meaningful.

"I enjoy my work and I enjoy pacing myself and keeping sure that I have got time for my family too."

"It's a tricky one," William reportedly said about the privileges and responsibilities of being a royal. "Do I like more responsibility? No. Do I like the freedom that I can build something like Earthshot? Then yes."

The prince, who has been sporting a beard since the summer, also said his 9-year-old daughter hadn't been a fan.

"Well Charlotte didn't like it the first time," he said. "I got floods of tears, so I had to shave it off. And then I grew it back. I thought, hang on a second, and I convinced her it was going to be OK."

Contributing: KiMi Robinson, USA TODAY