Crédito, HUW EVANS PICTURE AGENCY
Article information
- Author, Sean Coughlan
- Role, Royal Family Correspondent
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February 5, 2024
King Charles III has been diagnosed with a form of cancer, Buckingham Palace said.
It is not prostate cancer, but was discovered during his recent treatment for an enlarged prostate.
The type of cancer was not revealed, but, according to a palace statement, the king began “regular treatments” on Monday (5/2).
Buckingham Palace said the king “remains entirely optimistic about the treatment he has received and looks forward to returning to public service as soon as possible.”
He will postpone his public engagements, and Queen Camilla and Prince William will help fill in for him during his treatment.
No additional details were shared about the cancer stage or prognosis.
The cancer is believed to have been detected at an early stage.
Although he will take a break from his public events, the 75-year-old king will continue to exercise his constitutional role as head of state.
He was seen at a church service in Sandringham on Sunday (4/2), where he waved to the crowd.
He underwent a prostate procedure at a private London hospital more than a week ago.
The king chose to make his prostate treatment public with the aim of encouraging more men to have prostate exams, the palace said.
He was reportedly delighted to have raised awareness of the issue, with the NHS website, the UK’s public health service, reporting an increase in searches for information on prostate conditions.
For many types of cancer, the chances of developing a tumor increase with age.
Figures from the UK suggest that, on average, every year, more than a third (36%) of new cancer cases occur in people aged 75 and over.
Cancer treatment may involve chemotherapy – medicine used to kill cancer cells; radiotherapy – a treatment in which radiation is used to kill cancer cells; or targeted cancer drugs that find and attack cancer cells.