King Charles Opens Up About His Health as He Confirms Adjustment to Ongoing Cancer Care

King Charles has shared the welcome “good news” that his cancer treatment schedule will be scaled back in the New Year. In a moving video message, the monarch described his diagnosis as “overwhelming” and urged the public to attend cancer checks, stressing that “early diagnosis quite simply saves lives.”

The message, broadcast as part of this year’s Stand Up to Cancer campaign, saw the 77-year-old King explain that “remarkable advances” in cancer care have allowed him to continue leading a full and active life while undergoing treatment.

The King is understood to have responded exceptionally well, with doctors advising that his care will move into a precautionary phase. While he will continue to be closely monitored and reviewed to safeguard his recovery, a royal source said the frequency of his treatment “will be significantly reduced” at the start of next year.

Alongside the update on his own health, the King used the five-minute address to encourage people to attend cancer screenings, even if they feel “frightening, embarrassing or uncomfortable.”

“This December, as we gather to reflect on the year past, I pray that we can each pledge, as part of our resolutions for the year ahead, to play our part in helping to catch cancer early,” he said. “Your life — or the life of someone you love — may depend upon it.”

Charles has been receiving outpatient cancer treatment since early February 2024, believed to involve weekly sessions at the London Clinic.

Buckingham Palace has not disclosed the type of cancer or the specific treatment involved. A spokesperson previously explained that by not sharing these details, the King “speaks to those affected by all forms of the disease.”

The personal video message was recorded in the Morning Room at Clarence House two weeks ago and marks the first official update on the King’s health in nine months.

Following his diagnosis earlier in 2024 — discovered after a routine prostate procedure — Charles temporarily stepped back from public duties for nearly three months to undergo treatment and recuperation.

Since returning to royal duties, the King has maintained a demanding schedule, including overseas visits, ceremonial appearances and regular engagements across the country.

In March, he spent a brief period in hospital after experiencing temporary side effects linked to his ongoing cancer treatment — something royal sources downplayed at the time as a “minor bump in the road.” Just ten days later, he travelled to Italy with the Queen for a packed four-day state visit.

That trip marked the last occasion on which the Palace provided an update on the King’s health.

When asked whether his recovery has been impacted by his busy workload, a spokesperson said: “The King has taken great comfort and encouragement from being able to continue leading a full and active life throughout his treatment, while always heeding the advice of his medical team.

“His ability to uphold all of his State duties, and to continue with public engagements and overseas tours, has helped greatly with the positive mindset that, as many families will know, is such a vital part of the recovery journey.”

Dressed in a pinstriped suit, with a seasonal bouquet positioned behind him, the King urged the nation to hold “a special place in your hearts, and your minds and prayers” for the hundreds of thousands of people diagnosed with cancer in the UK this year, as well as for those who love and care for them.

“I know from my own experience that a cancer diagnosis can feel overwhelming,” he said. “Yet I also know that early detection is the key that can transform treatment journeys, giving invaluable time to medical teams — and, to their patients, the precious gift of hope.”

The King said he was “deeply troubled” to learn that around nine million people are not up to date with cancer screenings, despite the fact that early diagnosis has a profound effect on survival rates. He highlighted this with statistics, explaining that if bowel cancer is detected early, nine in ten people will survive for at least five years — compared with just one in ten if it is diagnosed at a later stage.

Charles added: “I know, too, what a difference it has made in my own case, enabling me to continue leading a full and active life, even while undergoing treatment.

“Indeed, today I am able to share with you the good news that thanks to early diagnosis, effective intervention and adherence to ‘doctors’ orders’, my own schedule of cancer treatment can be reduced in the New Year.

“This milestone is both a personal blessing and a testament to the remarkable advances that have been made in cancer care in recent years — testimony that I hope may give encouragement to the 50 percent of us who will be diagnosed with the illness at some point in our lives.”

Praising the launch of the new national Screening Checker earlier this month, the King said the “simple tool” enables people to see whether they are eligible for breast, bowel or cervical cancer screening.

“It demystifies the process, answers your questions, and guides you towards taking that crucial step,” he explained.

Charles concluded his address by expressing his “most heartfelt thanks” to the doctors, nurses, researchers and charity workers involved in cancer diagnosis and treatment.

The King has been open with the public about his own cancer diagnosis from the outset — a move that has helped improve understanding, reduce stigma around treatment, and encourage more open conversations about difficult subjects. He has also consistently highlighted the importance of early diagnosis and hopes his latest message will further motivate people to attend screenings.

The address comes weeks after the UK’s National Screening Committee recommended that only a very small group of men at high risk of prostate cancer should be screened for the disease. However, sources have stressed that the King’s message is unrelated to that guidance and is focused solely on encouraging greater uptake among the nine million missed opportunities within existing breast, bowel and cervical cancer screening programmes.

The pre-recorded message aired on Channel 4 last night as part of the Stand Up to Cancer campaign, led by Cancer Research UK in partnership with the broadcaster.

The annual initiative raises vital funds for medical research and treatment, while also urging people to attend health checks to improve the chances of detecting cancer at an early stage.

The programme — hosted by celebrities including Davina McCall, Adam Hills and Clare Balding, all of whom have been personally affected by cancer — will be broadcast live from cancer clinics at Addenbrooke’s and Royal Papworth hospitals in Cambridge, with the aim of demystifying cancer checks.

The Stand Up to Cancer initiative, which has raised £113 million since 2012, is currently funding 73 clinical trials involving 13,000 patients.

A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said: “His Majesty has responded exceptionally well to treatment and his doctors advise that ongoing measures will now move into a precautionary phase.

“This position will be continuously monitored and reviewed to protect and prioritise his continued recovery. As The King has said, this milestone on his recovery journey is ‘a great personal blessing’.”

They added that the King’s decision to support the campaign provided a “fitting moment to provide a brief update on the positive trajectory of his own continued recovery.”

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