Buckingham Palace announced last Monday that King Charles III, 75, has been diagnosed with cancer. Due to this health setback, the monarch will postpone his public duties while he undergoes the treatment scheduled by his doctors, which he has already started.
The monarch first communicated the news of his diagnosis in person to his two sons, Princes William and Henry; in addition to his three brothers, Ana, Andrés and Eduardo. Prince Henry, who currently resides in the United States with his family, has already taken a flight to London to be by his father’s side.
The Duke of Sussex is expected to land in the next few hours. The monarch’s youngest son has made this trip alone, since his wife, Megan Markle, and his two children, Archie (5) and Lilibet (2), remain at their California residence.
His return, in addition to strengthening ties between father and son, could even “force” a new meeting between the Duke of Sussex and Prince William, with whom they have not spoken for months. The heir to the throne must also assume some of the functions of his father.
The two brothers stopped speaking after the prince published his autobiography, Spare, last year, which contained damning revelations about his father and older brother. Since then, the relationship between all of them has been very tense. The Duke of Sussex also stepped down from royal duties in 2020.
The announcement of his diagnosis caught many by surprise, since just a few days ago the monarch was undergoing surgery for an enlarged prostate that had been successful. His current diagnosis, however, is not related to that operation.
The revelation of the king’s cancer comes as Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales and wife of Prince William, recovers at home after spending two weeks in hospital following planned abdominal surgery for an unspecified condition, but not cancerous.
The king’s cancer was detected early, so the entire country hopes that he can make a full recovery, said British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Tuesday, who joins the messages of support from world leaders for the monarch in these very difficult times. critics. “All our thoughts are with him and his family. Fortunately, this has been caught in time,” Sunak told the BBC.
Despite his treatment, King Charles III plans to continue working at his private residence, including his weekly meetings with Sunak and managing other state documents. Sunak also confirmed that he was in contact with the monarch.
The monarch was diagnosed following surgery at The London Clinic last month, where he underwent a corrective procedure for a benign enlarged prostate. Beyond confirming that it was not prostate cancer, Buckingham has not given any further details.
The royal family usually keeps medical matters private, but the monarch has remained very transparent in terms of information throughout this process. This is largely due to his sponsorship of various cancer-related charities.
The surprise diagnosis has dominated the British media since the announcement was made, and is another personal blow for Charles during his year and a half on the throne.
