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LONDON – King Charles III’s cancer was “detected early,” Britain’s prime minister said Tuesday, a day after the 75-year-old monarch’s diagnosis was revealed.
Rishi Sunak’s comments offered the British public new details about the condition, as Prince Harry headed home to see his father and Prince William, the heir to the throne, prepared to step forward and take on some of the public duties of the king.
Charles spent the night at home after beginning his treatment, which left the royal family facing a new health crisis just 18 months after he assumed the throne following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II.
Buckingham Palace announced in a statement on Monday that a “form of cancer” was detected while the king was undergoing a hospital procedure for a benign enlarged prostate.
The palace did not specify what type of cancer Carlos was diagnosed with or what stage it was in. It said that Charles did not have prostate cancer.
The palace said it remains “entirely positive” but will have to postpone public duties and commitments. The king will continue to conduct state affairs and official procedures as usual, the palace said.
Speaking to BBC radio, Sunak said he, like the rest of the nation, was “shocked and saddened” by the news and remains in “regular contact” with the king.
“Fortunately, this has been detected in time and now everyone will wish him to receive the treatment he needs and make a full recovery,” he told the public broadcaster.
Although lacking in details, the revelation of the king’s cancer diagnosis by Buckingham Palace marks a departure from the past, when the monarch’s ailments were often kept hidden from the public. The palace said the king wanted to share his diagnosis “to avoid speculation and in the hope that it can help public understanding of all those around the world affected by cancer.”
Within hours of the news breaking on Monday, well wishes began pouring in from across the UK and beyond.
President Joe Biden wished the king a “speedy and full recovery” in a post on X on Monday evening.
“Facing the diagnosis, treatment and survival of cancer requires hope and absolute courage,” Biden said.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, who presided over Charles’ coronation just nine months ago, also wished the monarch “God’s comfort and strength in the weeks and months ahead.” in a message on X on Tuesday morning.
The news comes just over a week after both the king and his eldest daughter-in-law, Princess Kate, were discharged from a private London clinic following medical procedures. While Charles was undergoing a “corrective procedure” for an enlarged prostate, Kate, 42, had planned abdominal surgery for a non-cancerous condition.
Charles’ eldest son is now expected to take on some duties on his father’s behalf while the monarch undergoes cancer treatment. The Prince of Wales will resume royal duties this week, his office said, after having to postpone them while his wife was undergoing treatment.
Meanwhile, British tabloids reported that Harry, the Duke of Sussex, was due to return to the country on Tuesday after being spotted at Los Angeles International Airport.
A source close to the prince and his wife, Meghan, told NBC News on Monday that Harry spoke to his father about the diagnosis.
“He will travel to the UK to see Her Majesty in the coming days,” the source said.
It comes at a time when Harry’s relationship with his father and brother is reportedly strained after he and Meghan stepped back from their roles as senior members of the royal family in 2020, and the deeply personal revelations of Harry published in his memoirs last year.