BUCKINGHAM PALACE, United
Kingdom
King Charles has been
diagnosed with a form of cancer, says Buckingham Palace.
The type of cancer has not
been revealed - it is not prostate cancer, but was discovered during his recent
treatment for an enlarged prostate.
The King began "regular
treatments" on Monday and will postpone public duties during it, the
Palace said.
The Monarch, 75, "remains
wholly positive about his treatment and looks forward to returning to full
public duty as soon as possible," it added.
No further details are being
shared on the stage of cancer or a prognosis.
Charles informed both his sons
personally about his diagnosis and the Prince of Wales was said to be in
regular contact with his father.
The Duke of Sussex, Prince
Harry, who lives in the United States, spoke to his father and will be
travelling to the UK to see him in the coming days.
The King returned to London
from Sandringham in Norfolk on Monday morning and the palace says he has
started treatment as an outpatient.
Although he will pause his
public events, the King will continue with his constitutional role as head of
state, including paperwork and private meetings.
It is understood his weekly
audiences with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will continue and will be in person,
unless doctors advise that he limits such contact.
There is a constitutional
mechanism for when the head of state is unable to carry out official duties -
in that circumstance "counsellors of state" can be appointed to stand
in for the monarch.
At present that includes Queen
Camilla, Prince William, the Princess Royal, and Prince Edward. Prince Harry
and the Duke of York are no longer called upon as they are non-working royals.
Prince William had also
temporarily withdrawn from public engagements while he helped his wife
Catherine, the Princess of Wales, as she recovered from abdominal surgery she
had last month.
But it was announced earlier
on Monday that he would
return to public duties later this week.
The King was seen at a church
service in Sandringham on Sunday, where he waved to crowds and
walked for about 10 minutes.
He had a prostate procedure at
a private London hospital more than a week ago.
At the time, the Palace said
the treatment was for a "benign" condition.
"It was during this
intervention that a separate issue of concern was noted and subsequently
diagnosed as a form of cancer," it said on Monday.
The King chose to go public
about his cancer treatment, the Palace said, as he had been a patron of a
number of cancer-related charities when he was Prince of Wales.
"In this capacity, His
Majesty has often spoken publicly in support of cancer patients, their loved
ones and the wonderful health professionals who help care for them."
He had also gone public about
his prostate treatment, with the aim of encouraging more men to get prostate
checks.
He was said to have been
delighted to have raised awareness about the issue, with the NHS website
reporting a surge in issues about prostate conditions.
The Royal Society of Medicine
thanked the King for highlighting "how cancer is indiscriminate" and
urged members of the public eligible for cancer screenings to make an
appointment.
"Please don't be shy -
the more information we have the better to help - hopefully - rule out cancer
or, if not, put you on the most suitable treatment pathway," its
president, Dr Jay Verma, said.
Media caption,
The King's cancer was found
during treatment for an enlarged prostate
One in two people in the UK
develop some kind of cancer during their lifetime.
There are more than 200 types
of cancer - the most common ones in the UK are breast, lung, prostate and
bowel, according to the NHS website.
For many types of cancer, the
chance of getting it increases with age. UK figures suggest, on average each
year, more than a third (36%) of new cancer cases were in people aged 75 and
over.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak
wished the King a "full and speedy recovery", as did Labour leader
Sir Keir Starmer and Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle.
US President Joe Biden
expressed his concern and said he would speak to the
King.
In a post on X, he later said:
"Navigating a cancer diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship takes hope and
absolute courage. Jill and I join the people of the United Kingdom in praying
that His Majesty experiences a swift and full recovery."
Mr Biden's son, Beau, died of
brain cancer aged 46, and his long-time friend, Republican Senator John McCain,
also died of cancer in 2018.
Charles acceded to the throne
on the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022, and his
coronation took place the following May.
The King and Queen are
scheduled to visit Canada in May, and Australia, New Zealand and Samoa for the
Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in October.
The Palace has yet to confirm
whether the tours will go ahead, with no date suggested for the King's return
to full public duties.
Buckingham Palace statement in full
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