The 75-year-old King Charles III’s cancer was “caught early,” according to the prime leader of the United Kingdom.
Rishi Sunak’s words provided the British people with new information about the situation, as Prince Harry returned home to see his father and Prince William, the heir to the throne, prepared to step up and take on some of the king’s public obligations.
After starting treatment, Charles spent the night at home, causing a new health crisis for the royal family only 18 months after assuming the throne after his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, passed away.
A “form of cancer” was discovered during the king’s hospital procedure for benign prostate enlargement, according to a statement released by Buckingham Palace on Monday.
The palace did not mention Charles’ cancer type or stage. It stated that Charles did not have prostate cancer.
The palace stated that he is “wholly positive,” but would have to postpone public-facing tasks and engagements.The monarch will continue to do state business and complete official paperwork as usual, according to the palace.
Sunak told BBC radio that, like the rest of the country, he was “shocked and sad” by the news and that he is still in “regular contact” with the monarch.
“Thankfully this has been caught early, and now everyone will be wishing him that he gets the treatment that he needs and makes a full recovery,” he told the local television station.
Although the details are brief, Buckingham Palace’s announcement of the king’s cancer diagnosis marks a break from the past, when the monarch’s ailments were frequently hidden from the public. The palace stated that the king wants to communicate his diagnosis “to prevent speculation and in the hope that it may assist public understanding for all those around the world who are affected by cancer.”
Within hours of the news emerging on Monday, well-wishes began to stream in from around the United Kingdom and beyond.
In a post on X on Monday night, President Joe Biden wished the king a “swift and full recovery”.
“Navigating a cancer diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship takes hope and absolute courage,” stated Vice President Joe Biden.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, who presided over Charles’ coronation only nine months ago, wished the monarch “God’s comfort and strength in the weeks and months to come” in a statement on Tuesday morning.
Residents on the streets of London expressed disbelief at the news.
“Genuinely heartfelt thoughts to him, that sounds pretty scary,” said Andy Bloomer, a hotel manager.
“[He is] someone who many people find comfort in, and I do as well. I am confident he will fight as anyone else would. “It’s a horrible shock,” Bloomer, 38, said.
The announcement comes just over a week after both the monarch and his older daughter-in-law, Princess Kate, were released from a private London clinic following medical treatments. While Charles underwent a “corrective procedure” for an enlarged prostate, Kate, 42, scheduled abdominal surgery for a non-cancerous ailment.
Charles’ eldest son is now anticipated to take on some of his father’s duties while the monarch is undergoing cancer treatment. The Prince of Wales will resume his royal duties this week, according to his office, after they were postponed while his wife was getting treatment.
Meanwhile, British tabloids said that Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, was set to return to the UK on Tuesday after being photographed at Los Angeles International Airport.
A source close to the prince and his wife, Meghan, told NBC News on Monday that Harry discussed the diagnosis with his father.
“He will be traveling to the U.K. to see His Majesty in the coming days,” a source familiar with the matter stated.
Harry’s relationship with his father and brother is thought to be strained since he and Meghan stood down from their duties as senior members of the royal family in 2020, following Harry’s highly personal confessions in his memoir last year.