King Charles and Queen Camilla are all set for a week-long state visit to Italy. It’s the first time the monarch has left the UK since last year’s Australia-Samoa trip, and while a state visit is appreciated, many have concerns over the monarch’s health in the wake of troubling news regarding his cancer just a few weeks ago.
Charles‘ treatment has been ongoing for more than a year. At the time of writing, there has been no word offered as to if or when it might come to an end. Even so, the king appears to have put his priorities straight, even if they’re at odds with Camilla’s wishes (she reportedly wants him to rest as best he can). Now, a royal source has given a verdict on exactly what lengths King Charles is prepared to go to in order to remain dedicated to the crown.
At the beginning of 2024, fans of the Royal Family worldwide were left shocked. The same day as a release detailing Kate Middleton’s abdominal surgery was issued, Buckingham Palace provided a statement that King Charles had been diagnosed with cancer.
Charles decided very early on to reveal that he had cancer. The fact that he did had a significant impact in the UK, with the number of people visiting relevant websites regarding cancer screenings skyrocketing. In valiant spirit, Charles reportedly hoped it could help others if he disclosed his diagnosis. A week after the monarch broke the news, he released a message to the country.
“I would like to express my most heartfelt thanks for the many messages of support and good wishes I have received in recent days,” he said. “As all those who have been affected by cancer will know, such kind thoughts are the greatest comfort and encouragement,” Charles wrote.
While it hasn’t been disclosed exactly what type of cancer Charles was diagnosed with, the fact that he even announced it was a breath of fresh air from an otherwise notoriously closed royal society.
King Charles’ cancer treatment
Camilla has been highly supportive of her husband during this very tough time. But while she put on a brave face when appearing in public, things have reportedly been different behind closed doors. The Daily Mail spoke to some of Camilla’s friends in July last year, and they claimed the queen was anxious about her husband’s well-being.
“In private, people had never seen her so worried. Forget who they are for a second. Look at it from a human level. Her beloved husband was facing a very serious condition. The battle of his life. It was hugely tough,” one person close to Camilla said.
Another friend added: “The public had no idea what she was going through. She was speaking to patients, survivors and even the families of those who had lost their lives to this awful disease in front of the cameras. And she didn’t even blink. That takes serious guts.”
A bombshell claim also revealed that not everyone in Charles’s close circle believed it to be a good idea to disclose word of the cancer. Robert Jobson, author of the 2023 book Our King: Charles III: The Man and the Monarch Revealed, told The Independent that Camilla initially opposed the decision to go public with Charles’ condition.
“Queen Camilla had initially been against disclosing his condition, but the King overruled her, as he felt it was a chance to take a lead, and in doing so to encourage men experiencing similar symptoms to seek timely medical attention,” Jobson said.
King Charles ‘overruled’ Camilla about telling the public about his cancer diagnosis
The author continued by claiming that the monarch overruled his wife, feeling that he could ‘take the lead’ in encouraging other men who experienced similar symptoms to seek medical attention before it was too late. Jobson didn’t disclose Camilla’s reason for disagreeing with Charles, though claimed that Charles wanted to get ahead of “fake news.”
“He was lauded for doing so, with commentators saying he had ushered in a new era of transparency in matters of health and the Royal Family,” Jobson added.
King Charles and Camilla celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary just days ago. Like any couple, they have had their fair share of disagreements. Speaking to Daily Mail royal editor Rebeca English, some of the couple’s friends stated they have “their different views” and that they will “have a very good argument.”
“I think probably, particularly at the moment considering the King’s health in the last year, the main issue is that she can’t persuade him to take time out. She obviously worries about him and his [cancer] treatment. Except for the first couple of months, he’s pretty well worked every day since,” one friend told English.
The friends further discussed Charles’ cancer treatment. “It has been such a strain. It was worrying for them as a couple,” one friend said. “You don’t know with cancer, do you?”
“The Royal Family don’t do illness, and I think that’s quite difficult for The Queen,” the friend continued. “Consequently, towards the end of last year she was quite ill herself. I think she was just exhausted because of all the travel and stepping up to the mark in his place.”
“We’re in uncharted waters”
Meanwhile, the cancer diagnosis has given Charles and Camilla a new way of looking at life. It has dramatically impacted their marriage, according to one confidant who said that the king and queen “definitely have a renewed perception of what’s important to them [now].”
In any case, Charles’ popularity numbers weren’t hurt as a result of his revealing his cancer diagnosis. Modernizing the Royal Family 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. King Charles has been known for wanting to modernize the royals, with the hope that the younger generation, consisting of Prince William, Kate Middleton, and co., will modernize it further.
How that will look remains unclear at this time. Still, the royals have begun speaking candidly about their health issues, which has led us into “uncharted waters,” royal expert and author Richard Eden told Express.
King 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.”
Just weeks ago, Buckingham Palace issued a statement that Charles had even been admitted to hospital following his “scheduled and ongoing medical treatment for cancer.” He had “experienced temporary side effects that necessitated a brief period of observation in hospital.”
King Charles “still allowing himself some privacy,” expert says
Eden continued: “I think she’d rather, frankly, that he was, you know, relaxing in the garden and not doing any jobs at all, but that’s just not him.”
Daily Mail royal correspondent Rebecca English added: “In the old days, even with Queen Elizabeth, in the years before her death she had an overnight stay in hospital that we weren’t told about.”
“He’s still allowing himself some privacy – which he’s entitled to – which is one of the reasons why they haven’t said what kind of cancer it is,” she continued. “He has genuinely made a personal decision that he wants to be as open as possible with people.”
Though Charles’ cancer remains, he won’t let it affect his daily work or even his chances of building new strong relationships abroad. On Monday, April 7, King Charles and Queen Camilla arrived in Italy, where they are set to attend many events.
The king and queen were set to meet Pope Francis to mark the celebration of the 2025 Catholic Holy Year; however, due to the pope’s health issues, the meeting was canceled. They will take on engagements in Ravenna and Rome, where they will “celebrate the strong bilateral relationship between Italy and the United Kingdom,” the palace said.
The trip to Italy will be Charles’ 17th trip to the southern European Country and his first overseas trip this year as monarch. Speaking to GB News in February, King Charles’s former butler, Grant Harrold, praised his former employer’s careful approach to the state visit and consideration of his health.
“They make the most of it”
“I think also he’s getting on a little bit, obviously he’s a little bit older. I mean when his mother became queen and she was undertaking state visits, obviously she was a lot younger. I think because of obviously his age and his recent health and everything, they’ve probably just kind of been sensible about how they plan these kind of things. This is already his ninth visit since becoming king,” he said.
The former royal butler continued: “I just think they’re probably just planning it carefully and trying to make the most of his time while he’s overseas. With all state visits, it can be just for a couple of days or up to about a week. I’m not too sure exactly how long he’s there for. But again, these kinds of things, when they get planned, they make the most of it.”
Harrold continued by saying that he believes Charles is “doing really well” and is “very positive” despite the tough treatment, adding, “The amazing thing is that they have this resilience just to carry on. And that’s what he’s very much doing is we know he’s great. He’s a great example.”
While King Charles and Queen Camilla have been seen smiling and enjoying themselves in Italy, their best moment occurred on Wednesday, April 9. It was their 20th wedding anniversary date–and what could possibly have been better than celebrating it in Italy?
Charles has taken his fair share of breaks during his cancer treatment to rest and get better, and who can blame him? But even though he knows he has to take it slowly – which his wife, Queen Camilla, reportedly reminded him several times – it appears the monarch has other ideas.
King Charles puts “duty before anything,” source claims
Speaking with the Mirror, a royal source claims that Charles has decided to put “duty before anything.” Before landing in Italy on Monday, he reportedly insisted on keeping his packed schedule and “just getting on with the job.”
They told the Mirror that Charles is “in great form and completely unfazed” by he having to be admitted to hospital recently. He has continued to undergo weekly treatment for his cancer in London. 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.”
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