King Charles was spotted in public, marking his first appearance since the announcement of his cancer diagnosis.
Simultaneously, his estranged younger son, Prince Harry, arrived in London to be with him during this challenging time.
Buckingham Palace had officially revealed on Monday that King Charles, who ascended the throne less than 18 months ago following the passing of Queen Elizabeth, had been diagnosed with a form of cancer.
As a result, he decided to postpone his public engagements to undergo necessary treatment.
Radiated positivity
Charles, aged 75, radiated positivity as he waved and smiled at well-wishers while being driven from his residence at Clarence House in central London to Buckingham Palace.
The palace has emphasized that the King remains “wholly positive” about his prognosis, and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, in an earlier statement, mentioned that the cancer had been detected early.
However, it was noted that there were no plans for Prince Harry to meet his elder brother, Prince William, heir to the throne, during his visit to Britain.
Royal duties
Prince William is expected to assume additional royal duties as Charles embarks on a series of out-patient treatments.
In response to the news, Prime Minister Sunak expressed his shock and sadness, stating, “All our thoughts are with him and his family. Thankfully, this has been caught early.”
Despite the diagnosis, King Charles intends to continue with much of his private work as monarch, which includes his regular meetings with the prime minister and handling state papers. Sunak confirmed that their communication would proceed as usual, emphasizing that they would “crack on with everything.”
Enlarged prostate
The cancer was initially discovered during Charles’s recent three-night stay in the hospital, where he underwent a corrective procedure for an enlarged prostate.
While the palace confirmed that it was not prostate cancer, no additional specifics have been provided. Typically, the royal family maintains the confidentiality of medical matters, but Charles chose to disclose his condition publicly due to his association with cancer-related charities.
This diagnosis highlights concerns about cancer waiting times in the UK’s National Health Service (NHS), which has been facing significant challenges.
Survival rates for cancer in Britain have trailed behind those of other European countries for many common types of cancer
