King Charles received his cancer diagnosis in early 2024. The monarch, who took over after his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, passed away in 2022, was praised for sharing candid information on his health, which certainly isn’t a royal protocol.
Since then Charles hasn’t addressed his cancer too many times, though chose to do so again recently. During an event to recognize the work of community-based cancer care projects in the UK, Charles reflected on his “darkest moment” during his cancer treatment.
King Charles’ cancer diagnosis came as a shock. The monarch decided to openly share his health status with the world in early 2024 and continues to receive treatment to this day.
The fact that the king opted to disclose his diagnosis had a significant impact in the UK — the number of people visiting relevant websites regarding cancer screenings skyrocketed. Charles had hopes it would help others if he went public… and it did.
Of course, it’s rare for members of the Royal Family to open up about their health. Modernizing the monarchy has become critical of late, and being open to the public in a world where a Royal Family might seem excessive to many can only be a good thing.
Charles is known for wanting to modernize the royals, while he harbors hopes that the younger generation, led by Prince William and Kate Middleton, will do the same. What that will mean for the Royal Family moving forward remains unclear at this time.
Still, the royals’ beginning to speak openly about their health issues has led us into “uncharted waters,” royal expert and author Richard Eden told Express.
King Charles’ cancer diagnosis
Charles is the first-ever monarch to acknowledge having cancer publicly, and as Eden points out: “When his grandfather George VI had cancer, he wasn’t even told himself.”
“We have our Monarch, our head of state, undergoing this extensive cancer treatment,” Eden said. “Clearly, we’re in uncharted waters… but if he needs to visit hospital because he’s feeling a bit under the weather from treatment, which is quite understandable, people do start to worry and panic a bit.”
Not much is known about Charles’ cancer treatment. However, in late March, Buckingham Palace released a statement that he had been admitted to hospital following his “scheduled and ongoing medical treatment for cancer.” Charles had “experienced temporary side effects that necessitated a brief period of observation in hospital.”
Cancer treatment can be a complicated process, and speaking to GB News, David James, the director of the patient project at Prostate Cancer Research, outlined the possible side effects an individual can experience.
“I’d be totally speculating, so this is obviously not related to the King’s cancer when I say this. However, you might be thinking about chemotherapy, which typically requires going into the hospital, though it can also be administered at home,” James said.
Expert shares ‘potential side effects’ from cancer treatment
“That doesn’t necessarily mean that’s what he was undergoing. Chemotherapy comes in cycles, and there are short-term side effects, usually lasting a couple of days, before people start to feel better. People typically go through a few rounds of that. There are also other short-term treatments, such as radiotherapy, which can have side effects, but again, they can present very differently depending on the individual.”
David James continued: “Whether you experience short-term side effects or ones that last longer can vary. So, it’s really, as I said, difficult to say what type of treatment he might be receiving, especially since they haven’t confirmed what type of cancer he has other than saying he has cancer. But again, I just want to reiterate that it is extremely important for anyone going through cancer treatment to follow their healthcare professional’s advice and take rest when needed.”
Charles has taken his fair share of breaks during his cancer treatment to rest and get recover. But even though he knows he has to take it slowly – which his wife, Queen Camilla, has reportedly reminded him several times – it appears the monarch has other ideas.
Speaking with the Mirror in early April, a royal source claimed that Charles has decided to put “duty before anything.” Before landing in Italy for a recent trip, he reportedly insisted on keeping his packed schedule and “just getting on with the job.”
Charles has continued to undergo weekly treatment in London for his cancer. Since the diagnosis, he has used his Highgrove country estate in Gloucestershire to “take a breather.”
“Italy was never in doubt, but what His Majesty’s break did do was allow him to take a breather and slow down if only for a couple of days,” a source close to the king told the Mirror. “Everyone has seen in recent days that he is in great form and completely unfazed by his recent setback, if anything, both His Majesty and the Queen are even more excited to be getting on the road again.”
King Charles issues personal cancer update
While Charles has addressed his cancer briefly a few times, he has largely kept it private, as he is entitled to do. That’s until now. Ahead of an event celebrating the work of community-based cancer care projects in the UK, King Charles issued a message to recognize the work of the cancer projects and lifted the lid on his own experience in the last year.
“Each diagnosis, each new case, will be a daunting and at times frightening experience for those individuals and their loved ones. But as one among those statistics myself, I can vouch for the fact that it can also be an experience that brings into sharp focus the very best of humanity,” Charles said.
“It has certainly given me an even deeper appreciation of the extraordinary work undertaken by the remarkable organisations and individuals gathered here this evening, many of whom I have known, visited and supported over the years. And it has reinforced what I have long observed during these visits – that the darkest moments of illness can be illuminated by the greatest compassion. “
“As patrons of many such organisations, The Queen and I have seen at first-hand how you not only fund vital research and deliver exceptional healthcare but also create spaces where patients and their families find sanctuary, understanding and practical assistance when they need it most. “
King Charles concluded his statement: “And to those who may be receiving such upsetting news today, tomorrow or at any point in the future, I can only echo the departing words of the late Dame Deborah James, whose parents I am delighted to have with us here this evening, and whose example stands as an inspiration to us all, in sickness and in health: ‘Find a life worth enjoying; take risks; love deeply; have no regrets; and always, always have rebellious hope.’ I am so very grateful for all that you do.”
Former royal gardener says King Charles is done grieving’ cancer diagnosis
King Charles acknowledged the “frightening experience” of getting his cancer diagnosis. Exactly how he and his family took the news is unknown, but one can understand it must have been a terrible moment.
But after his personal message to fellow cancer patients, former senior royal gardener Jack Stokes states that King Charles is “done grieving” his cancer diagnosis. Speaking to GB News, Stokes said that the monarch most likely will continue to talk about his experiences.
“This is amazing to see. I think it has also helped the country warm to him a lot more than they initially did when he was first diagnosed. He came straight out and publicly told everyone what was happening, and that he needed to take time off from his royal duties. Obviously, we then saw that the Princess of Wales tried a different approach; she wanted to keep it private, but that seemed to go a bit awry at the time,” Jack Stokes said.
“Since then, she also came out and discussed it very openly. Now, they’ve had time for their own personal space. They’ve had time to grieve what’s happening within the family. They’re now discussing it openly, and they’re using the Royal Family platform to help people and raise awareness for these charities doing amazing work in the fight against cancer in the United Kingdom.”
The former royal gardener continued by claiming that Charles has found his cancer experience “meaningful,” as he knows several people who have had cancer and even lost friends and family to it.
“He’s a great supporter of many charities”
He added: “I think the significance is exactly what we’ve spoken about: with him now having personally experienced cancer, it’s very meaningful for him.” Moreover, Stokes praised King Charles for his support of many cancer charities.
“This has really taken it to his heart. He’s a great supporter of many charities in the UK. He’s done fantastic work for these charities. I’ve said it before, and he’s just constantly working to ensure his charities are raising funds to help support all the causes they focus on, whether it’s helping children, getting people into jobs, or the King’s Foundation. There are so many other charities,” Stokes concluded.
“But I think having had this year of awful cancer diagnosis, and now living with cancer, is significant. We’ve been told that the Princess of Wales is in remission, but he is still currently living with cancer and undergoing treatment. So, he’s seeing this on a weekly basis.”
Please share this article on Facebook to show your support for King Charles!
