Prince William and Kate Middleton Break Balmoral Holiday to Issue Statement on Deadly Nepal Flooding

The Prince and Princess of Wales briefly stepped away from their private summer holiday this week to issue a statement of condolence over the catastrophic flash flooding that has killed hundreds of people along the Nepal-China border, following a similar message from King Charles III.

William and Catherine, both 44, posted the statement on their social media accounts addressing the Aug. 26 disaster, which was triggered by the collapse of a glacier and rocky ledge that sent a wall of ice, rock and water surging down the Bhotekoshi River into Nepal. “The scale of the devastation along the Nepal-China border is shocking. We are thinking of everyone caught up in this terrible disaster,” the statement read, according to PEOPLE. “Our thoughts are especially with the families facing an unbearable wait for news and with the communities confronting such immense loss. We are incredibly grateful to all those working in such dangerous conditions to rescue people and support those affected.”

The couple’s message came shortly after King Charles issued his own statement of sympathy. “My wife and I are heartbroken to hear of the devastating flooding that has struck the Nepal-China border. Many in the United Kingdom have strong, deep and personal ties to this part of the world,” the King’s statement read. “We send our most profound sympathy to all those who have so tragically lost their loved ones, and we feel deeply for the many families awaiting anxiously the news of friends and relations.” Charles added, “Our hearts go out also to the families of all the police and Armed Forces personnel who lost their lives while carrying out their courageous duty in the service of others, and we give our deepest thanks to those who have responded so selflessly in undertaking rescue efforts. Our special thoughts and prayers remain with all those affected and, as always, the United Kingdom stands ready to help support those in need.”

The flooding has continued to claim lives in the days since the royal family’s statements were issued. Nepal Police said Friday that at least 579 people have been confirmed dead, with more than 2,400 others still listed as missing, as rescue crews continue searching riverbanks and debris fields across the affected region. Authorities in China’s Tibet Autonomous Region, which was also struck by the flooding, have confirmed five additional deaths on their side of the border.

William and Catherine issued their statement while on their annual late-summer break at Balmoral Castle in Scotland, a royal tradition dating back to the reign of Queen Victoria. The couple arrived at the estate on Aug. 20 alongside their three children, Prince George, 13, Princess Charlotte, 11, and Prince Louis, 8. Three days later, the family attended a Sunday service at Crathie Kirk alongside other senior royals, including King Charles, Queen Camilla, Princess Anne and her husband Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, and Prince Edward with his daughter Lady Louise. Balmoral was a particular favorite of the late Queen Elizabeth II, who typically spent from late July until October at the Scottish estate and died there in September 2022.

The royal family’s Scotland gathering has unfolded alongside another major development within the family: the return of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to the United Kingdom. PEOPLE first reported that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who stepped back from royal duties and relocated to California in 2020, arrived back in Britain on Aug. 26 with their children, Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5. The couple plans to establish a private, non-royal home base in the UK, with their children set to begin school there in the coming weeks.

A source close to the family told PEOPLE that Harry’s return could present a meaningful opportunity to repair his strained relationship with his brother, William, though the two remain distant, with the same source describing their current contact as nonexistent. The source suggested Catherine could play a role in encouraging reconciliation between the brothers, saying, “Catherine may step into that breach and try to help, too, because she knows how important family is and how important Harry is to William. She would want to see that healed, as any wife would. This gives them opportunity to try and mend that bridge.” A separate source told PEOPLE that King Charles similarly hopes to see his sons reunited over time, calling the current moment “the best opportunity we have seen in recent years.”

Harry has previously expressed his own desire to repair family ties, telling the BBC in May 2025, “I would love reconciliation with my family. There’s no point in continuing to fight anymore.” Whether that reconciliation advances alongside the broader developments touching the royal family this summer, including the Nepal relief effort now drawing statements of concern from across the monarchy, remains to be seen as both branches of the family navigate a season marked by significant personal and public change.