King Charles has been diagnosed with cancer, Buckingham Palace announced in a damning statement this evening.
The 75-year-old monarch has returned to London from Sandringham to begin treatment immediately.
It is not related to his recent surgery and is not prostate cancer, but doctors discovered it when he underwent medical surgery for an enlarged prostate.
Buckingham Palace said in a statement this evening: “Another problem was noted during the King's recent hospital procedure for benign prostate enlargement.” Subsequent diagnostic tests have identified a type of cancer.
“His Majesty began a regular treatment plan today, during which he was advised by doctors to postpone public duties.” During this time, His Majesty will continue to conduct state business and official paperwork as usual.
Charles was last seen waving to well-wishers as he attended a service at St Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham, Norfolk, on Sunday with his wife Queen Camilla.
“The King is grateful to his medical team for the rapid intervention made possible thanks to his recent hospital procedure.” He remains absolutely positive about his treatment and looks forward to returning to public service as soon as possible.
“His Majesty has decided to share his diagnosis to avoid speculation and in the hope that it may contribute to the public’s understanding of all people affected by cancer around the world.”
The diagnosis is also likely to be professionally devastating for Charles, who was the longest-serving heir to the throne in British history before becoming king following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth, on September 8, 2022.
Since then he has hit the ground running with three state visits abroad, hosted two state visits to the UK and made hundreds of public appearances each year, maintaining a rigorous official workload well into his 70s.
Aides said he enjoyed the challenge and was thoroughly enjoying his royal role.
The king's diagnosis will raise serious questions for the functioning of the monarchy, with fewer working members of the royal family and the Princess of Wales out of action until after Easter due to so-called “abdominal surgery”.
The 75-year-old monarch was treated for an enlarged prostate last week and spent three nights at the London Clinic private hospital
The Prince of Wales, heir to the throne, cleared his schedule to be by his wife's side and make life for their three children as normal as possible.
However, Kensington Palace announced today that it would resume its public duties this week by holding an investiture at Windsor Castle on Wednesday, followed by a gala fundraiser for the London Air Ambulance in the evening.
Although Queen Elizabeth has suffered from recurring health problems over the years and has had to undergo multiple surgeries, including on her knee and cataracts, there was no major health crisis of this magnitude until the very final months of her historic 70-year reign.
However, this would have a serious impact on the family life of the Prince and Princess of Wales.
They moved to Windsor 18 months ago to give their children a more carefree childhood outside the royal bubble until absolutely necessary.
Prince George, ten, second in line to the throne, Princess Charlotte, eight, and five-year-old Prince Louis all attend a local school. Lambrook and have settled well into their new home, Adelaide Cottage.
William and Kate's team are still based at Kensington Palace in London, their official residence, and travel to Windsor for meetings.
The question inevitably arises as to how practical this will be for them now.
The king enjoyed very good health for most of his life, apart from suffering from a debilitating back problem.
The first sign that something was wrong with his health came on January 17, when Buckingham Palace made the surprise announcement that the royal was “seeking treatment” for an enlarged prostate.
The palace added that His Majesty's condition was “benign” and that he would be hospitalized the following week for corrective surgery.
They said he was personally interested in sharing details of his diagnosis to encourage other men who may be experiencing symptoms to get checked.
The NHS subsequently reported an encouraging increase in the number of people searching its website for more information.
His Majesty, who was in Scotland at the time, then traveled back to Sandringham and on to London the evening before his operation.
When he was discharged from hospital last Monday, the royal appeared steady on his feet as he left the London Clinic in Marylebone with Queen Camilla by his side
He was admitted to the London Clinic in Marylebone, central London, on January 26 along with his wife, Queen Camilla.
Buckingham Palace said it wanted to thank everyone for their well wishes and was pleased to learn that his diagnosis was having a positive impact on public health awareness.
He was finally released on Monday last week after three nights in hospital and said he was “fine”.
In order to be close to his doctors, he initially lived in Clarence House, his London residence, before returning to Sandringham with his wife.
Queen Camilla continued to remain publicly involved, telling the public that her husband was “doing well” and looking forward to getting back to work.
Last Tuesday, she told well-wishers that he was “coping” and “doing his best,” adding: “Thank God!”
One in three men over 50 suffer from symptoms of an enlarged prostate. These include more frequent trips to the toilet, an increased urge to urinate and difficulty emptying the bladder.
An enlarged prostate, also called benign prostatic hyperplasia, usually does not pose a serious health threat and is not cancer.
However, patients may need to undergo several tests for the disease to rule out the possibility that they have another disease with similar symptoms, such as prostate cancer.
Surgery is usually only recommended for moderate to severe symptoms that do not respond to medication.