A Complete Timeline Of King Charles' Cancer Health Crisis And Treatment
Queen Elizabeth II called 1992 her annus horribilis, a Latin phrase that roughly translates to "disastrous year" or "terrible year." 1992 was deserving of the title. That year, Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips' divorce was made final, Prince Andrew and Duchess Sarah Ferguson split up, and the future King Charles III and Princess Diana announced their separation. To add to the queen's misery, an unauthorized biography detailing Diana and Charles' unhappy marriage hit bookshelves, leading to a wildly unpleasant media tempest. Then, before the year was out, a fire broke out in Windsor Castle, causing devastating damage. It might be safe to say that, 32 years later, Charles III is having his own annus horribilis.
2024 kicked off with Charles being diagnosed with an enlarged prostate. Before the king went public with his diagnosis, Kensington Palace shared that Princess Catherine was undergoing abdominal surgery for an undisclosed condition and would only return to her duties after Easter. Next, Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, announced that she'd been diagnosed with cancer again. In February, Charles announced that he'd been diagnosed with cancer. The following month, Princess Catherine shared her own cancer announcement with the public.
There's been no shortage of speculation about what the king's diagnosis could mean for the future of the royal family. Naturally, interest in the king's diagnosis has remained high, and if you're still trying to wrap your head around the whole affair, scroll down for a complete timeline of King Charles' health crisis.
January 17: News breaks that King Charles has been diagnosed with an enlarged prostate
When the head of state is diagnosed with any kind of medical condition, it raises questions. So when Buckingham Palace informed the public that King Charles III had been diagnosed with benign prostatic hyperplasia, commonly known as an enlarged prostate, it sparked concern, despite reassurances that the condition was not cancerous.
In a statement, the palace said that Charles would be admitted to hospital to undergo a corrective procedure for his condition. The media and the public were surprised that the palace was being so upfront about the king's diagnosis because the royal famly has a reputation for trying to hide health issues from the public. But Charles was reportedly eager to use his condition to raise public awareness.
Well-wishes streamed in after the announcement, and in a later statement, the palace said that Charles was thrilled that his openness about his diagnosis was encouraging others to seek help for similar conditions. Prostate Cancer UK also praised the king for his transparency, thanking him for "his openness that'll inevitably raise more awareness about the condition" (via GB News). The charity's risk checker for benign prostatic hyperplasia saw an uptick of 97% in users after the king made his diagnosis public.
January 26: King Charles undergoes surgery
King Charles III underwent corrective surgery for his enlarged prostate on Friday, January 26, 2024, at the London Clinic, where Princess Catherine was still recovering from her abdominal surgery. Reports indicated that he'd paid his daughter-in-law a visit before undergoing his procedure.
The king traveled from Sandringham to London on Thursday ahead of the procedure. Camilla, Queen Consort, was by his side and accompanied him to the hospital on the morning of his surgery. This was odd, seeing as members of the monarchy usually go to the hospital by their lonesome, but it might be safe to say that the public appreciated Camilla's visible support of her husband. She remained at the hospital for the duration of her husband's surgery and was seen leaving the premises six hours later. The press descended on her when she exited the hospital, eager to know how the king was doing. "He's doing well, thank you," Camilla responded (via The Telegraph).
The palace confirmed in a statement that the king underwent surgery. "The King was this morning admitted to a London hospital for scheduled treatment," the statement read (via The Telegraph). "His Majesty would like to thank all those who have sent their good wishes over the past week and is delighted to learn that his diagnosis is having a positive impact on public health awareness."
January 29: Charles is discharged from the hospital
Three days after undergoing corrective surgery, King Charles III was discharged from the hospital, and the public heaved a great sigh of relief. "The King was this afternoon discharged from hospital following planned medical treatment and has rescheduled forthcoming public engagements to allow for a period of private recuperation," a statement from the palace read (via People). The king also thanked the medical staff at the London Clinic in the statement and extended his gratitude to the public for their supportive gestures and kind words.
Charles left the hospital with Camilla by his side. He also appeared to be in good spirits, which helped ease worries about his health. In its statement, the palace said that the king would be taking some time off following his surgery to recover. Palace aides told The Telegraph that, despite taking some time off royal engagements, Charles would still be hard at work fulfilling his other royal duties.
February 5: Charles announces that he has cancer
Concerns about King Charles III's health had barely started to die down when the king revealed he'd been diagnosed with cancer. The timing of Charles' announcement was nothing short of heartbreaking; Queen Elizabeth II's eldest son hadn't even had the pleasure of celebrating the first anniversary of his coronation before he received the devastating diagnosis.
"During The King's recent hospital procedure for benign prostate enlargement, a separate issue of concern was noted. Subsequent diagnostic tests have identified a form of cancer," the statement read (via People), adding that Charles was thankful that his cancer had been picked up by his doctors so quickly. "He remains wholly positive about his treatment and looks forward to returning to full public duty as soon as possible," the statement continued.
The palace also said that Charles had already started his first course of treatment. The statement did not specify what type of cancer the king had been diagnosed with but explained that he'd decided to share the cancer news with the public to raise awareness and prevent speculation. Charles was set to take a prolonged break from all of his scheduled royal engagements but the public was reassured that the king was well enough to continue his work as head of state.
February 10: Charles thanks the public for their support
After King Charles III's cancer diagnosis was made public, the monarch was overwhelmed with well wishes. In an Instagram post, the palace shared how delighted the king was by all the kind messages he had received. The video accompanying the post showed palace aides delivering thousands of cards and letters from the public to His Majesty.
Charles released an official statement on the royal website to share his gratitude. "I would like to express my most heartfelt thanks for the many messages of support and good wishes I have received in recent days," he said. "As all those who have been affected by cancer will know, such kind thoughts are the greatest comfort and encouragement."
The king also took a moment to say how thankful he was to hear that his diagnosis had helped to raise awareness around cancer and the organizations that support those navigating their own diagnoses. "My lifelong admiration for their tireless care and dedication is all the greater as a result of my own personal experience," he concluded.
February 21: Charles meets with the prime minister
King Charles III continued his duties as head of state just as he had promised, and a few weeks after starting treatment for his cancer, the king met with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at Buckingham Palace for the first time after his diagnosis after initially missing a few of their weekly meetings. Charles was filmed shaking hands with Sunak, who remarked that the king looked well. "It's all done by mirrors," Charles joked in response. "We're all behind you, the country is behind you," Sunak said. "I've had so many wonderful messages and cards which reduces me to tears most of the time," Charles said.
The two discussed the role of cancer charities and how the king's diagnosis had shed more light on the wonderful work they do for members of the public. "It's actually nice to have that recognized," Sunak said.
March 24: Princess Anne's son offers an update
Despite King Charles III being very open about his cancer diagnosis, the palace has not provided the public with constant updates on the monarch's health. Naturally, pundits and the press have been trying to find out whatever they can about the king's health through the grapevine. So, it came as a bit of a surprise when Princess Anne's son, Peter Phillips, sat down for an interview with Sky News and spoke openly about Charles' condition.
Peter's account of the king's health seemed to indicate that the monarch was still well enough to try and persuade palace staff and doctors to let him resume some of his royal duties. "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, explaining that Charles is eager for his life to return back to normal. "He's probably frustrated that recovery is taking a little longer than probably he would want it to," he added.
Despite Charles' frustrations, Peter said that the king was maintaining a positive mindset. "He is very pragmatic and he understands that there's a period of time that he really needs to focus on himself," Peter said. He later added that the king was hell-bent on making sure he gets to fulfill some of his scheduled royal engagements for the rest of the year, including his and Queen Camilla's planned visit to Australia.
March 31: Charles attends an Easter service
Royal fans were delighted when King Charles III attended the 2024 Easter Service at St. George's Chapel. The palace confirmed that the king would be in attendance ahead of Easter weekend after rumors swirled that he was eager to attend the church service. Charles followed strict rules from his doctors while attending the sermon, which included not sitting with the rest of his family. He also didn't attend the traditional Easter events after church, forfeiting a reception and private family lunch.
A source told People that the king's self-imposed social distancing showed just how serious his condition was — his doctors had advised him to refrain from having too much contact with people, given the status of his health. They did, however, note that his appearance at the service was a good sign that his treatment was working. "He is positive, the doctors are optimistic," the insider said, adding that, in the wake of the improvements in the king's health, he might be able to start meeting with more people. Another source added that, despite his cancer diagnosis, Charles was eager to work as much as possible.
Even though Charles didn't attend the post-Easter service events, he did take a moment to greet members of the public after church. He shook a few hands and exchanged some pleasantries with his subjects before heading home. This probably got him a stern talking-to from his doctors.
April 13: A royal commentator claims Charles' health is improving
After King Charles III's appearance at the Easter service, many felt optimistic about the monarch's health, and a few weeks later, royal commentator Patrick Christys told GB News that Charles' health was continuing to improve. "I am hearing that he's actually responding genuinely, really well to cancer treatment," Christys told the outlet. "And everyone in the royal household is feeling positive and upbeat about how he's responding." This was heartening news and followed on the heels of Charles and Queen Camilla's getaway to Scotland for their 19th wedding anniversary.
The couple spent some time at their private estate, where they also spent their honeymoon after getting married in 2005. Charles's love for the estate is well known, and he even put his own personal touch on the gardens. "It is such a special place, particularly because it was made by my grandmother. It is a childhood garden, and all I've done, really, is enhance it a bit," he once told Country Life. The couple's getaway, paired with Christys' statement that Charles' health was improving, seemed to hint that the monarch was well on his way to beating his cancer.
April 25: Other insiders claim that Charles' health is deteriorating
About two weeks after royal commentator Patrick Christys claimed that King Charles III was responding well to his cancer treatment, news surfaced that the king's health was rapidly deteriorating. Friends of Charles who spoke to The Daily Beast reportedly all responded to questions about his health with the same phrase: "It's not good."
The palace had, from the get-go, made it clear that the public would not receive daily updates about the king's health. However, many couldn't help but wonder whether these unnamed friends were right, especially because the public still didn't know what type of cancer the king had. Whispers about funeral plans and preparations added to the public's worries. And then, an old friend of the royal family told the outlet that all is not as good as it seems from the outside. "Of course he [Charles] is determined to beat it and they are throwing everything at it," the unnamed friend said. "Everyone is staying optimistic, but he is really very unwell. More than they are letting on." Understandably, this sparked public worry once again, with many wondering if the king's Easter appearance was his last.
April 25: Word got out that Charles' funeral plans are being revised
Along with increasing whispers about King Charles III's health, reports about his funeral plans being revised started to surface, sowing even more panic. Operation Menai Bridge, which is code for Charles' funeral plan, is being reviewed regularly, sources told The Daily Beast. Queen Elizabeth's funeral plans were famously known as Operation London Bridge, and it went off without a hitch. Now, the British Government is reportedly doing an assessment of the queen's funeral in order to figure out what worked and what didn't so they can improve the plans for Charles' future funeral.
While it's not unusual for the monarch's funeral plans to be reviewed every now and then (Operation Menai Bridge was put in place soon after Charles became king), a source close to officials involved with these plans told The Daily Beast that the king's cancer diagnosis reignited efforts to make sure everything is in place. "The plans have been dusted off and are actively being kept up to date. It's no more than what you would expect given the king has been diagnosed with cancer. But the circulation of them has certainly focused minds," they said.
April 26: The palace states doctors are pleased with Charles' progress
With rumors swirling about King Charles III's health supposedly having taken a turn for the worse, it seems that Buckingham Palace was about fed up with the speculation and put a swift sock in it. One day after concerns about the king's health flared up again and talk about his funeral arrangements unsettled many, the palace provided the public with a positive update about the king's health.
A palace spokesperson told People that Charles' cancer treatment is not yet complete but that the monarch is on the right track. "Doctors are sufficiently pleased with the progress made so far," the spokesperson said. They remained vague about how long the king's remaining treatment would last, however. "It is too early to say, but His Majesty's medical team are very encouraged by the progress made so far and remain positive about the king's continued recovery," they said. When asked how Charles was feeling, the spokesperson replied that the king is thrilled to get back to work.
April 26: The palace announces Charles will resume some duties
While Princess Catherine and Prince William's press office has been criticized for how it handled the whole media storm surrounding the former's health, it seems Buckingham Palace is learning from their mistakes. It can't be a coincidence that hours after rumors about his deteriorating health started swirling, King Charles III shut down the chatter about his health with a statement no one saw coming: He's returning to his public-facing duties.
This surprising announcement stopped doomsday prophets in their tracks. The palace's statement said that the king was set to make a public appearance as early as the following week at a cancer center. "This visit will be the first in a number of external engagements His Majesty will undertake in the weeks ahead," it read.
It appears that Charles is coming back with a bang, because the statement also said that the king and Queen Camilla had invited the Emperor and Empress of Japan for a state visit, which is scheduled for sometime in June. If they're planning that far ahead, His Majesty can't be feeling as poorly as previous reports suggested. The entirety of the king's summer schedule, however, remains to be determined, and it's not yet clear whether he will be attending the annual Trooping the Colour or the Royal Ascot. "Any public-facing engagements will be announced nearer the time in the usual way and will remain subject to doctors' advice," a palace spokesperson told People.