How King Charles III Has Carried on Since His Cancer Diagnosis
King Charles III put duty first, even while battling cancer, as the royal family faced an unusual glut of challenges.
Since Queen Elizabeth II‘s death in 2022, King Charles III has spent most of his reign trying to restore long-term confidence in the centuries-old institution that is the British monarchy.
The rest of the senior royals chugged along with him, never officially responding to the slings and arrows flying their way (many of them coming from inside the family) or otherwise wavering from their official duties as a new era got underway.
But knowing the late queen’s adage that she had “to be seen to be believed,” their cause was not helped when dueling cancer diagnoses relegated both Charles and his daughter-in-law Kate Middleton to the bench right when it was more important than ever to be out and about, demonstrating that the royal ship was in steady hands.
Charles has since been deemed healthy enough to resume international travel and Kate has made a handful of appearances since disclosing in March that she was undergoing “preventative chemotherapy.” But evem the reliably stoic Prince William acknowledged to reporters chronicling his trip to Cape Town, South Africa, earlier this month that the unprecedented pile-up of health crises had been “dreadful.”
“I’m so proud of my wife, I’m proud of my father, for handling the things that they have done,” the Prince of Wales said. “But from a personal family point of view, it’s been…yeah, it’s been brutal.”
Business as usual ground to a halt in January: Kensington Palace announced that Kate was going to be out of the public eye while recovering from abdominal surgery until at least after Easter on March 31. Hours later, Buckingham Palace shared that Charles was being treated for an enlarged prostate.
On Feb. 5, six days after he was discharged from the hospital, the palace stated that Charles had been diagnosed with cancer and would be stepping back from public-facing duties while undergoing treatment.
If there was not one more shred of royal news for the rest of the year, that would have been enough of a what-does-this-mean-for-the-monarchy moment. Of course, that is not what happened.
Seven speculation-packed weeks later—during which the palace had to politely shut down a rumor originating in Russia that Charles had died—Kate revealed in an unprecedented March 22 video message that she was in the “early stages” of preventative chemotherapy after post-op tests “found cancer had been present.”
And the first person to applaud her candor—aside from countless civilians on social media—was her father-in-law.
JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty ImagesThe king was “so proud of Catherine for her courage in speaking as she did,” a palace spokesperson told NBC News. Charles had “remained in the closest contact with his beloved daughter-in-law throughout the past weeks” and he and Queen Camilla would “continue to offer their love and support to the whole family through this difficult time.”
Let alone his own difficult time.
While the king was in “good spirits,” nephew Peter Phillips said at the time, he also guessed that his uncle had to be “hugely frustrated.”
“He’s frustrated that he can’t get on and do everything that he wants to be able to do,” the son of Charles’ sister Princess Anne told Sky News Australia in an interview published March 24 (and given before Kate spoke out). “But he’s very pragmatic. He understands that there’s a period of time that he really needs to focus on himself.”
Which apparently doesn’t come any more naturally to him than it did to his late mother whose commitment to her role remains the stuff of legend and a certain Emmy-winning Netflix drama.
“He is always pushing his staff and everybody, and his doctors and nurses, to be able to say, ‘Actually come on, you know, can I do this? Can I do that?’” Peter said. “So the overriding message would be that he’s obviously very keen to get back to a form of normality. And he’s probably frustrated that, recovery is taking a little longer than probably he would want it to.”
When the palace first shared his diagnosis, no timeline was offered as to how long Charles might be away from the public eye, though from day one it was understood that he still planned to tend to state business behind closed doors. (Incidentally, though the public still doesn’t know what type of cancer he has or what his treatment has entailed, sharing he was ill at all was a relatively transparent move on the palace’s part.)
As expected, his son William, wife, sister and brother Prince Edward all pressed onward as the co-faces of the Firm in Charles’ (and Kate’s) absence.
“I’d like to take this opportunity to say thank you also for the kind messages of support for Catherine and for my father, especially in recent days,” William told an audience at an Air Ambulance Charity Gala Dinner in London on Feb. 7. “It means a great deal to us.”
Jonathan Brady – WPA Pool/Getty ImagesBut it was only a couple of weeks before Charles resumed meeting in person with then-British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who—as seen in a video shared afterward of the usually private appointment—complimented the king on how well he looked as he walked into the Buckingham Palace office on Feb. 21.
“All done by mirrors,” Charles quipped.
More comfortable showing emotion than his impossibly stoic predecessor, the king told the PM (who’s since been replaced by Keir Starmer), “I’ve had so many wonderful messages and cards. It’s reduced me to tears most of the time.”
Jonathan Brady – Pool/Getty ImagesPhotographers were on hand to capture snippets of Charles at work in Buckingham Palace: Meeting with Britain’s Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt March 5; on a video call the next day with Canadian PM Justin Trudeau while sitting at the desk that belonged to his late father, Prince Philip; greeting ambassadors from Algeria and Mauritania in the 1844 Room; meeting alums of the Windsor Leadership Trust on March 26.
On March 21, during a two-day trip to Northern Ireland, Camilla told a well-wisher at the Arcadia deli in Belfast, per Hello!, “He was very disappointed he couldn’t come.” And in response to a joke about men not being “the best patients,” Camilla assured, “I try to keep him in order.”
She also became the first-ever monarch’s consort to appear in their spouse’s stead at the Royal Maundy Service on March 28, with Charles expressing his regrets that he couldn’t be there in a prerecorded video message.
“In this country, we are blessed by all the different services that exist for our welfare,” the king said, per a recording shared by NBC News. “But over and above these organizations and their selfless staff, we need and benefit greatly from those that extend the hand of friendship to us, especially in a time of need.”
And Charles knows he needs to be not only hale, but also squarely in the public eye, in order to return the favor.
Charles and Camilla sat apart from the rest of the congregation at St. George’s Chapel on Easter Sunday to avoid any stress on his health during what was his first public event since his hospitalization.
But less than a month later, the palace said the king would be returning to public duties.
He was at Royal Ascot in June and participated fully in this year’s Trooping the Colour (the official celebration of the monarch’s birthday, despite him being born on Nov. 14, 1948), and he’s been traveling around the U.K.
“I’m not too bad,” he told a well-wisher in August while visiting with families affected by the July 29 knife attack in Southport in which three children were killed during a Taylor Swift-themed dance class.
And during a Sept. 3 visit to the Dyson Cancer Center at the Royal United Hospital in Bath, Camilla allowed that her husband of 19 years was “doing very well.”
As for this new era of transparency…
But actions can speak louder than words, and in October Charles was finally able to make it to Australia with Camilla for their first state visit to the Commonwealth nation since becoming king and queen.
Back at Buckingham Palace hosting a reception for Britain’s 2024 Olympians on Nov. 7, Charles shared that he stays fit with a twice-a-day exercise regimen that incorporates squats and a pull-up bar.
So it sounds as if the 76-year-old king is calmly carrying on with his workouts in hopes of finishing out a year that began on such a low note on an upswing.
Keep reading for a rundown of a-year-and-then-some’s worth of royal news:
Queen Camilla Withdraws From Public Engagements Due to Chest Infection
“Her Majesty The Queen is currently unwell with a chest infection, for which her doctors have advised a short period of rest,” the Buckingham Palace announced on Nov. 5. “With great regret, Her Majesty has therefore had to withdraw from her engagements for this week, but she very much hopes to be recovered in time to attend this weekend’s Remembrance events as normal. She apologises to all those who may be inconvenienced or disappointed as a result.”
Princess Beatrice is Expecting Baby No. 2
The royal and her husband of four years Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi are expecting their second child together, the Royal Family announced Oct. 1.
“Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrice and Mr Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi are very pleased to announce that they are expecting their second child together early in the new year,” the caption of their Instagram post read. “His Majesty The King has been informed and both families are delighted with the news.”
Kate Middleton Completes Chemotherapy
On Sept. 9, the Princess of Wales shared that she had completed chemotherapy after being diagnose with an unspecified form of cancer earlier this year.
“The cancer journey is complex, scary and unpredictable for everyone, especially those closest to you,” she said in a video statement. “With humility, it also brings you face to face with your own vulnerabilities in a way you have never considered before, and with that, a new perspective on everything.”
The royal added, “Although I have finished chemotherapy, my path to healing and full recovery is long and I must continue to take each day as it comes. I am however looking forward to being back at work and undertaking a few more public engagements in the coming months when I can.”
Kate Middleton’s First Formal Appearance Since Cancer Diagnosis
The Princess of Wales returned to the spotlight on June 15—three months after sharing her cancer diagnosis—for the Trooping the Colour ceremony in London. She was joined by her husband Prince William and their three kids: Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.
Princess Anne Is Released From Hospital
The Princess Royal was discharged after a five-day stay at Southmead Hospital. Her husband, Tim Laurence, said in a statement June 28, “I would like to extend my warmest thanks to all the team at Southmead Hospital for their care, expertise and kindness during my wife’s short stay.”
Princess Anne is Hospitalized With Concussion
The younger sister of King Charles III sustained minor injuries during an incident at her estate Gatcombe Park, Buckingham Palace has announced.
“Her Royal Highness remains in Southmead Hospital, Bristol, as a precautionary measure for observation and is expected to make a full and swift recovery,” the June 24 statement, shared to X, read. “The King has been kept closely informed and joins the whole Royal Family in sending his fondest love and well-wishes to The Princess for a speedy recovery.”
Kate Middleton Shares Chemotherapy Update
Nearly three months after sharing her cancer diagnosis, the Princess of Wales said that she’s “making good progress” with chemotherapy, though there are “good days and bad days” amid her health journey.
“On those bad days you feel weak, tired and you have to give in to your body resting,” Kate wrote on Instagram June 14. “But on the good days, when you feel stronger, you want to make the most of feeling well.”
She added, “My treatment is ongoing and will be for a few more months. On the days I feel well enough, it is a joy to engage with school life, spend personal time on the things that give me energy and positivity, as well as starting to do a little work from home.”
New Role for Prince William
On May 13, King Charles III bestowed the title of Colonel-in-Chief of the Army Air Corps to his oldest son, sparking controversy as many royal watchers believed the title would be more suited for Prince Harry, who trained and served in the military branch.
Kin Charles III Returns to Public Duties
On April 26, nearly three months after sharing his cancer diagnosis, Buckingham Palace announced that Charles will return to public-facing duties.
Queen Camilla Attends Royal Maundy Service
The queen consort attended the Royal Maundy Service on March 28 in place of King Charles III, making her the first spouse of the Monarch to continue the ancient tradition.
Kate Middleton Shares Cancer Diagnosis
In a March 22 video message, the Princess of Wales shared that she’d been diagnosed with cancer after undergoing abdominal surgery in January.
“It was thought that my condition was non-cancerous. The surgery was successful,” she said before noting that tests after the operation found cancer had been present. “My medical team therefore advised that I should undergo a course of preventative chemotherapy and I am now in the early stages of that treatment.”
Kate Middleton Apologizes for Edited Family Photo Controversy
After photo agencies pulled the picture Kensington Palace shared of Kate since having her abdominal surgery on March 10, the Princess of Wales addressed claims the photo was doctored.
“Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing,” she tweeted on March 11. “I 
wanted to express my apologies for any confusion the family photograph we shared yesterday caused. I hope everyone celebrating had a very happy Mother’s Day. C.”
Lady Kitty Spencer Privately Welcomes Baby
Princess Diana‘s niece celebrated Mother’s Day in the U.K. by sharing she and her husband Michael Lewis privately welcomed their first baby.
“It’s the joy of my life to be your mummy, little one. I love you unconditionally,” she captioned her March 10 Instagram post. “Happy Mother’s Day to those who celebrate today.”
Queen Camilla Takes a Break
After keeping up her full slate of engagements in the wake of her husband’s cancer diagnosis, the palace cleared Camilla’s schedule.
The Times pointed out March 2 that the 76-year-old didn’t have any engagements on her calendar until March 11, when she’d be due at Westminster Abbey to observe Commonwealth Day.
Thomas Kensington Dies at 45
The husband of Lady Gabriella Windsor and ex-boyfriend of Pippa Middleton, was found dead Feb. 25. Days later, a coroner’s inquest found that he died by suicide.
King Charles Diagnosed With Cancer
While King Charles III was in the hospital for his benign prostate enlargement procedure, the royal family member was diagnosed with cancer.
“His Majesty has today commenced a schedule of regular treatments, during which time he has been advised by doctors to postpone public-facing duties,” Buckingham Palace said Feb. 5. “Throughout this period, His Majesty will continue to undertake State business and official paperwork as usual.The King is grateful to his medical team for their swift intervention, which was made possible thanks to his recent hospital procedure. He remains wholly positive about his treatment and looks forward to returning to full public duty as soon as possible.”
Sarah Ferguson Is Diagnosed With a Second Type of Cancer
The Duchess of York’s rep said in a statement on Jan. 21 that Sarah was recently diagnosed with malignant melanoma, an aggressive form of skin cancer. Several months prior, she underwent a single mastectomy to treat breast cancer.
Queen Margrethe II of Denmark Abdicates the Throne
On Jan. 14, Queen Margrethe II of Denmark made history as she officially abdicated the throne, handing the crown over to her son, now known as King Frederik the 10th.
Kate Middleton Is Hospitalized
Kensington Palace announced on Jan. 17 that Kate Middleton underwent planned abdominal surgery and was set to remain in the hospital for 10 to 14 days.
“Based on the current medical advice,” the Palace said, “she is unlikely to return to public duties until after Easter.”
Prince William Adjusting His Schedule
Amid Kate’s recovery, Prince William postponed a number of engagements as he supported his family, including the couple’s three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.
King Charles III Undergoing Treatment
Shortly after Kate’s hospitalization was made public, Buckingham Palace shared that Charles “has sought treatment for an enlarged prostate.”
“His Majesty’s condition is benign and he will attend hospital next week for a corrective procedure,” the statement added. “The King’s public engagements will be postponed for a short period of recuperation.”
Luxembourg Welcomes a New Baby
Princess Claire and Prince Felix of Luxembourg welcomed son Balthazar Felix Karl on Jan. 7, the first royal baby of the New Year!
