King Charles III diagnosed with cancer
Words of concern have poured in from political leaders past and present after Buckingham Palace made a shock announcement this evening that King Charles has been diagnosed with cancer.
“I have no doubt he’ll be back to full strength in no time and I know the whole country will be wishing him well,” said Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, as he wished His Majesty King Charles III “a full and speedy recovery.”
In the statement released by the Palace this afternoon, it did not confirm what kind of cancer the 75-year-old King has been diagnosed with.
A little over a week ago, the monarch spent three nights at the London Clinic private hospital where he received treatment for an enlarged prostate. The Palace said at the time that his condition was benign but that he decided to go public with it to help end stigma surrounding prostate problems and encourage other men to get their prostates checked.
This evening, the Palace confirmed that Charles does not have prostate cancer. Rather, “During the King’s recent hospital procedure for benign prostate enlargement, a separate issue of concern was noted. Subsequent diagnostic tests have identified a form of cancer.”
His Majesty travelled back from his Sandringham estate in Norfolk this morning to commence a schedule of regular treatment as an outpatient at home in London.
According to the Palace, “he remains wholly positive about his treatment and looks forward to returning to full public duty as soon as possible.”
It’s understood that King Charles informed his immediate family of his diagnosis personally. This includes his sons Prince William and Prince Harry, and his siblings Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward. Prince Harry will travel from California to the UK to see him in the coming days, according to the BBC.
Doctors have advised Charles to stand back from public-facing engagements for now but he will continue to undertake state business and official paperwork as usual. In other words, his constitutional role will continue during his treatment for cancer so, as things stand, we can expect the King to still attend Privy Council meetings, give royal assent to bills, hold a weekly meeting with the Prime Minister, trigger the 2024 election and invite the next Prime Minister to form a government.
That said, his family will stand ready to take on increased duties, just as Charles himself did when his own mother, Queen Elizabeth II, was too unwell to open parliament.
Write to us with your comments to be considered for publication at letters@reaction.life