Charles – who only ascended the throne after the death of his mother in 2022 – first sought treatment for an enlarged prostate in January, with Buckingham Palace announcing the following month that cancer had been detected.
In the first substantial update on his health since then, Buckingham Palace said on Friday that Charles’ treatment was not complete, but that doctors were “very encouraged by the progress made so far and remained positive about the King’s continued recovery.
The announcement, carefully timed for the 6 p.m. news bulletins, will have been greeted with relief by the British public – not to mention the Westminster bubble – who have become wearily accustomed to alarming news from the famous Palace of Buckingham and his secret.
Although Charles’s role is largely ceremonial, by convention the king plays an important role in the smooth running of the British state. He signs Acts of Parliament and organizes meetings of the Privy Council.
He also meets with the Prime Minister once a week to provide a sort of sounding board, away from the sound and fury of Westminster – a rare sign of stability in a country that changes leaders quickly.
Concerns about Kate’s health
The second of the royal family Annus horribilis began in January, when the king sought treatment at the fee-paying London Clinic for an enlarged prostate. At the same time, Charles’ daughter-in-law Kate Middleton, married to the next successor to the throne, Prince William, was admitted to hospital for abdominal surgery.
Politico
