King Charles is facing another health battle.
Last month, the King, 75, underwent a procedure to treat an enlarged prostate. Buckingham Palace has now announced that he has been diagnosed with cancer.
The palace released a statement regarding The King’s recent hospital procedure for benign prostate enlargement, revealing that a separate issue of concern was discovered. Diagnostic tests conducted afterwards confirmed the presence of cancer.
According to a recent statement, His Majesty has started a regular treatment schedule. As advised by doctors, he has decided to postpone public-facing duties for the time being. However, His Majesty will continue to carry out State business and official paperwork as usual.
The King expressed his gratitude to his medical team for their quick action, which was only possible due to the recent hospital procedure he underwent. He maintains a positive outlook on his treatment and eagerly awaits the opportunity to resume his full public responsibilities. The statement also mentioned that His Majesty decided to disclose his diagnosis to avoid any unnecessary speculation and to provide support and understanding to those who are dealing with cancer worldwide.
According to sources, King Charles personally informed his sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, about his diagnosis. It is reported that Prince William, aged 41, maintains regular communication with his father, while Prince Harry, aged 39, who now resides in California with his wife, Meghan Markle, is expected to make a trip to the U.K. in the near future.
Before the news was made public, the King personally informed his siblings – Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, and Prince Edward.
King Charles made his first public appearance since his hospitalization, attending church with Queen Camilla at St. Mary Magdalene Church near Sandringham on Sunday. The royal family has a tradition of attending mass at this church on Christmas Day. The outing comes after King Charles left the hospital on January 29, following a three-day stay for a prostate procedure.
King Charles came back to London from Sandringham on Monday to start his treatment as an out-patient.
The monarch temporarily withdrew from public duties due to his ongoing recovery from prostate surgery. It remains uncertain when he will resume his royal engagements in light of his recent cancer diagnosis. However, it is worth noting that he will still receive and review important documents through the customary red boxes and fulfill his obligations regarding state paperwork throughout his treatment.
As of now, there are no plans in place to designate Counsellors of State who would act on behalf of King Charles.
Last week, Queen Camilla, who is 76 years old, paid a visit to Maggie’s Royal Free. Her purpose was to officially inaugurate the newly built cancer support center at the Royal Free Hospital in London, just in time for World Cancer Day. The royal family commemorated this special occasion by sharing pictures of the Queen’s visit on their social media platforms.
🧡 Today is #WorldCancerDay – a global initiative aiming to raise awareness about cancer.
Earlier this week, Her Majesty The Queen opened @MaggiesCentres Royal Free, a new cancer support centre at Royal Free Hospital.
Read more: https://t.co/TMs0pYBrIx pic.twitter.com/iYvcc16Ndl
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) February 4, 2024
On January 17, Buckingham Palace made an announcement about the King’s health. The palace revealed that the King is undergoing treatment for an enlarged prostate. The statement emphasized that this condition is benign, and the King will be visiting the hospital next week for a corrective procedure. As a result, the King’s public engagements will be postponed temporarily to allow him time to recuperate. It is worth noting that this is a common procedure for many men, and the King’s health is being carefully attended to.
He shared his diagnosis with the intention of encouraging men to undergo screenings. His choice had a significant effect: following his disclosure, there was a 1,000% surge in searches about prostate enlargement on the U.K.’s National Health Service website.
Prince William is set to resume his public duties this week, following his wife Kate Middleton’s abdominal surgery on January 16. The Prince of Wales, who is next in line to the throne at the age of 41, had cleared his schedule to support his wife during her 13-day hospital stay. Now that the 42-year-old Princess of Wales is recovering at home in Windsor, Prince William can focus on his official engagements once again.