15 hours Ago By [email protected] (Michael Moran)
The Queen would probably prefer it if the King took things a little easier, expert Richard Eden says (Image: Max Mumby/Indigo, Getty Images) Sign up to our free email newsletter to receive the latest breaking news and daily roundups More Newsletters Subscribe Please enter a valid email Something went wrong, please try again later. More Newsletters We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you.
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More info × Group 28 Thank you for subscribing! We have more newsletters Show Me No thanks, close See our Privacy Notice The King's decision to be as open and transparent as possible about his cancer treatment has put us in "uncharted waters," royal experts have said. No monarch has ever publicly admitted to having cancer before, as Palace Confidential expert Richard Eden says: "When his grandfather George VI had cancer, he wasn't even told himself." While many details of King Charles III's condition – including exactly which type of cancer he is suffering – remain unknown, he has been very open about his treatment, including last week's incident when doctors decided to "err on the side of caution" and call him into hospital for observation.
"Here we have our Monarch, our head of state, who is undergoing this very lengthy cancer treatment," Richard says. "Obviously it means we're in uncharted waters..
. but if he does have to visit hospital because he's feeling just a bit rough from treatment, as is quite understandable, obviously people do start to panic a bit and worry." His Majesty was diagnosed with cancer in February last year (Image: Chris Jackson, Getty Images) Buckingham Palace released a statement at the end of last week explaining that after "scheduled and ongoing medical treatment for cancer," the King, 76, "experienced temporary side effects that required a short period of observation in hospital".
He cancelled a number of engagements over the following day, and spent a relaxing weekend at his country estate in Highgrove. Richard claimed that Queen Camilla would probably prefer it if the King took things a little easier in general: "I do get the sense that the queen is very keen to slow him down a bit," he said. "I think she'd rather, frankly, that he was, you know, relaxing in the garden and not doing any jobs at all, but that's just not him.
" The royal couple spent a relaxing weekend at Highgrove (Image: Rob Jefferies, Getty Images) Royal expert Rebecca English says she was surprised that the news of King Charles's hospital stay was even made public. She pointed out: "In the old days, even with Queen Elizabeth, the years before her death she once had an overnight stay in hospital that we weren't told about." News of that hospital stay did, however, eventually leak – leading to a public outcry that may be in part the motive for His Majesty's more open approach.
But the King has, she says, made it clear that he wants to be open as possible: "He's still allowing himself some some privacy – which he's entitled to – which is one of the reasons why they haven't said what kind of cancer it is." His Majesty has made the decision to be as open as possible about his condition (Image: WPA Pool, Getty Images) If details like that were made public, she explains, it would inevitably lead to "all sorts of conjecture" with people immediately going online to look up the symptoms and causes. Nevertheless, she says: "He has genuinely made a personal decision that he wants to be as open as possible with people.
" Richard added the fact that the King hadn't cancelled his planned visit to Italy – given that the Pope's recent ill-health would have provided a perfect excuse – "shows you how determined he and the queen are to fulfil their duties". But after what was described as last week's "bump in the road", the King has returned to public duties, including an event marking the 50th anniversary of independence for Papua New Guinea. He said he had chosen to share the news of his hospitalisation to prevent speculation and "assist public understanding for all those around the world who are affected by cancer".
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