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Acclaimed British actress Olivia Williams has opened up about her ongoing battle with pancreatic cancer, revealing the heartbreaking reality that she will never be cancer-free, after her symptoms were repeatedly dismissed by doctors as menopause or irritable bowel syndrome.
The 56-year-old star, best known for her portrayal of Camilla Parker Bowles in the final two seasons of The Crown, shared her deeply personal story in a powerful new interview with The Times. She detailed how a rare tumour went undetected for four years, despite her persistent complaints and alarming symptoms.
“If someone had f*****g well diagnosed me in the four years I’d been saying I was ill... then one operation possibly could have cleared the whole thing,” Williams said. “But I cannot now ever be cancer-free.”
Williams described a harrowing diagnostic journey that took her across three countries as she endured chronic symptoms ranging from aching limbs to severe gastrointestinal distress. Initially, she was told she might be experiencing perimenopause, lupus, or even mental health issues, none of which proved to be true.
It wasn’t until a UK rheumatologist took a closer look that the real cause was uncovered: a rare pancreatic tumour. By then, the disease had already spread to her liver, making the prognosis significantly more serious.
“As anyone involved in the cancer life knows, liver spread is the worst news,” she said. Since her diagnosis, Williams has undergone multiple surgeries, internal radiotherapy, and continues to receive ongoing treatment, including “microwave ablation” procedures to target metastasized cancer cells.
“We’ve been playing whack-a-mole every time they appear,” she explained, likening her medical routine to a constant cycle of hope and disappointment. “I go in like a puppy with this optimistic, bright face and then they give me bad news.”
Despite the challenges, Williams is committed to raising awareness of pancreatic cancer, a notoriously hard-to-detect and aggressive disease. She is currently supporting Pancreatic Cancer UK, the official charity partner of the London Marathon, in a bid to drive funding and research into earlier detection and better treatment options.
Credit: instagram.com/thecrownlatinoamerica
Though her future remains uncertain, the Sixth Sense and Friends actress continues to approach her life and career with remarkable strength. She shares two daughters, aged 20 and 17, with her husband, playwright Rhashan Stone, and remains a passionate advocate for improving outcomes for others who face similar struggles.
“I’m not done yet,” she said defiantly. “But I want people to know that being dismissed, being misdiagnosed, it’s not uncommon. And it needs to change.”
