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LONDON – King Charles III has cancer: the news, released late in the afternoon, has caused consternation in Great Britain and around the world. The official statement from Buckingham Palace, a demonstration of the new era of transparency in the palace, reveals that the tumor was recently diagnosed and that doctors advised the King, who is 75 years old, to suspend all official commitments.
The tumor was confirmed by a series of tests: after the doctors who had operated on the King for an enlarged prostate, a completely benign condition, had discovered “a different cause for concern”.
Charles III had spent the weekend at his Sandringham estate in the county of Norfolk, where he attended Mass on Sunday and greeted the people gathered to greet him on his first public appearance since leaving hospital. On Monday morning he returned to the London Clinic, the private hospital where he had undergone prostate surgery on January 26, to begin a program of “regular outpatient treatment” which he will continue to follow, it is not known for how long.
Buckingham Palace statement
«The King is grateful to the team of doctors for their timely intervention, which was possible thanks to his recent intervention in hospital -, reads the statement -. He remains completely optimistic about his treatment and plans to return to his public duties as soon as possible. Her Majesty has decided to make her diagnosis known to avoid conjecture and in the hope that she can contribute to understanding all those in the world who are affected by tumors.”
For the same reason – to spread awareness of the disease and encourage other men to get checked – in January the King preferred to spread the news of his hospitalization for an enlarged prostate.
The announcement from Buckingham Palace, which made it known that it will not give further details on the King’s condition or the type of cancer he has been diagnosed with, immediately led to a wave of messages of good wishes and support. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, the leader of the opposition, Keir Starmer and the Speaker of Parliament Sir Lindsay Hoyle were among the first to express wishes for a speedy recovery to Charles III.
Carlo will continue to follow political events and deal with state affairs, but will not appear in public and will not participate in official commitments. Various members of the royal family will replace him in the various appointments already on the agenda. His second son, Prince Harry, has announced that he will return from California, where he lives, to visit his father “in the next few days”.
The weight on the shoulders of the eldest son, Prince William, quickly doubled. The heir to the throne has been preparing for his future role as King for years, and on numerous occasions supports or replaces his father in various official commitments, but the succession times may have rapidly shortened.
Furthermore, William’s wife, Kate, Princess of Wales, is still recovering after recently undergoing surgery for unspecified abdominal problems at the same hospital as Charles, the London Clinic, where she was hospitalized for two weeks. The doctors advised her to rest and suspend all official commitments at least until after Easter.
As William prepares for a role he may assume sooner than expected, King Charles perhaps ponders his strange fate. Already known as the Prince of Wales who waited the longest in history, having waited 70 years and 241 days before ascending the throne, now illness could force him to pass the crown to his firstborn William.
Charles ascended the throne upon the death of his mother, Elizabeth II, in September 2022 and was crowned at Westminster Abbey on May 6 last year. Ironically, the new King is now facing a tumor, the severity of which is unknown, after a life spent without any major health problems, only injuries sustained playing rugby or polo.