Photo: Adrian Dennis Agence France-Presse King Charles III underwent prostate surgery ten days ago. He is seen here on January 29, leaving a clinic in London.
Germain Moyon – Agence France-Presse and Clara Lalanne – Agence France-Presse in London
February 5, 2024
- Europe
King Charles III is suffering from cancer discovered during a recent prostate operation, which will keep him away from public life for an unknown period, less than a year and a half after succeeding his mother, Elizabeth II.
Nine months after being crowned, the 75-year-old sovereign does not plan to completely cease his activities as head of state of the United Kingdom, Canada and 13 other countries, the Buckingham Palace.
“During the recent procedure for benign enlargement of the prostate, a separate problem was noted” and “subsequent tests identified a form of cancer,” explains the palace in a press release.
The king thus “began today a program of regular treatments, during which doctors advised him to postpone his public activities.” However, he will continue “to take care of state affairs and administrative tasks as usual,” he further specifies.
The palace has made it known that this health problem is not prostate cancer.
According to Buckingham Palace, the King “remains very optimistic about his treatment and looks forward to returning to public duties as soon as possible.”
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“Speed recovery”
Wishes for recovery poured in, after the news of the diagnosis.
After learning of the diagnosis, American President Joe Biden said he was “worried” about the sovereign, while Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he hoped “he will will recover quickly and completely.”
Like Canadians across the country and citizens around the world, I think of His Majesty King Charles III, who is undergoing treatment for cancer. We send him our best wishes and hope for a speedy and full recovery.
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) February 5, 2024
“I have no doubt that he will quickly regain full strength and I know that the entire country sends him their best wishes,” British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said on X. Such wishes also poured in from across the country. British political class, including Scottish separatists and Northern Irish republicans.
European Parliament President Roberta Metsola said she “wishes a speedy recovery” to the king.
“I hope [the cancer] was detected early and that it will end well for him,” Imogen Holder said in the streets of London, speaking to Agence France-Presse , 26, who works in insurance.
“I think it’s hard for him, he waited so long to be king,” said Sarah Firisen, a 55-year-old IT salesperson.
Transparency
Like his operation for a benign prostate problem, about which he had been transparent, Charles III “chose to make his diagnosis known in order to avoid conjecture, and in the hope of helping the public to understand all those affected by cancer around the world,” Buckingham's statement said.
The announcement of his prostate problem had already contrasted with the secrecy surrounding the health of Queen Elizabeth II in the years before her death on September 8, 2022 at the age of 96, at the 'from a record 70-year reign.
It comes at a time when the wife of his heir William, Kate, 42, was hospitalized on January 16 for an abdominal operation, the cause of which is kept secret. She hasn't been seen in public since she appeared with the rest of the family for Christmas.
Kensington Palace announced a week ago that she had left the private London clinic where she underwent this procedure and that she was continuing her convalescence at the family home in Windsor, in the west London.
The reasons for his operation remain mysterious, but it is not cancer, according to British media.
The palace announced that it would suspend its activities probably until Easter, March 31.
Harry soon in the United Kingdom
William, eldest son of King Charles III, had also stopped his public duties in order to prioritize their family. But his services announced Monday that he would attend a decoration ceremony in Windsor on Wednesday, then a charity gala in London.
Exiled in California, Charles' youngest son, Harry, will return to the United Kingdom to see his father despite the well-known tensions between the Duke of Sussex and his father, as well as his older brother.
The forced withdrawal of Charles, Kate and William placed Queen Camilla, 76, at the forefront, with numerous trips each week for the one who remains little loved by the British, who adored the Princess Diana, first wife of the sovereign.