Hiding stuff from them does not work, so we explain how they feel...

William on talking to kids about Kate's cancer

- JENNIFER NEWTON

PRINCE William admits it was difficult to know what to say to his children after their mother was diagnosed with cancer.

Kate is now in remission. But William described the experience last year - weeks before the King's own diagnosis - as "brutal".

Now, in a new interview, he says it was a challenge for him as a husband and father.

In Brazil for the Earthshot prize, he told TV host Luciano Huck: "There are a lot more questions if there are no answers. But it is always a balancing act, as any parent will say. It's always 'how much do I say?' and 'when do I say?' "There's no manual for being a parent, you've just got to go with it - and use a bit of instinct." William dad to Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and seven-year-old Prince Louis added: "Every family has its own difficulties and its own challenges, and I think it's very individual and sort of moment-dependent as to how you deal with those problems.

"We chose to communicate a lot more with our children. Sometimes you feel you're oversharing with the children.

"You probably shouldn't, but most of the time, hiding stuff from them doesn't work. And so we explain how they feel, why that's happening, giving them other viewpoints as to why they might be feeling like they are.