Here's How The Royal Family's Healthcare Really Works

Queen Elizabeth II ruled for 70 years, making her Britain's longest-reigning monarch in history. She was woven into the very fabric of the world this generation inhabits — presidents and prime ministers came and went, but the queen remained the one constant for seven decades. Therefore, one would be forgiven for, perhaps, forgetting that she wasn't immortal. She sure seemed like an immortal being — she'd just always been there, a steady presence and the face of the British monarchy. When she died in September 2022, it served as a reminder that death comes for us all — even the royalty among us. Of course, the queen looking as good and being as healthy as she was at her age was, in part, thanks to quality healthcare.

While many of the monarchy's traditions might appear ancient, their healthcare kept up with the times. For instance, Queen Elizabeth's father, King George VI, underwent a procedure to remove his left lung in Buckingham Palace's Buhl Room in 1951, but now the royal family goes to prestigious hospitals. Very recently, King Charles III and Princess Catherine were admitted to the London Clinic to undergo surgery — Charles for an enlarged prostate, and Catherine for abdominal surgery. Naturally, the public was concerned for the two royals, but if there's one thing we can know for sure, it's that this family receives the best healthcare there is — from fancy hospitals to renowned physicians, it might be safe to say that their medical bills would take your breath away.

The head of the Royal Medical Household is a sought-after job, and Queen Elizabeth II's physician, Sir Huw Thomas, described the position as "a great honor" and "a very enjoyable and rewarding role" during an interview with Imperial College London. He explained that treating members of the monarchy wasn't much different from treating ordinary patients. However, the royal physician becomes a part of the institution. "[You] become the personal doctor to the principal people in it, who are patients just like other patients," he explained.

When the queen died, King Charles III had to choose his personal physician, and his choice met with some criticism. While Sir Huw Thomas was a gastroenterologist, Charles' new doctor, Michael Dixon, specializes in homeopathy. He is known for favoring homeopathic treatments and has actively advocated for its use. In lieu of public criticism, the palace released a statement, clarifying the king's choice and assuring the press that Dixon was indeed a qualified medical doctor. "Dr. Dixon does not believe homeopathy can cure cancer. His position is that complementary therapies can sit alongside conventional treatments, provided they are safe, appropriate, and evidence based," the statement read (via The Independent). The king also used the statement to make it clear that he doesn't reject Western medicine. "In his own words, 'Nor is it about rejecting conventional medicines in favor of other treatments: the term complementary medicine means precisely what it says,'" the statement clarified.

When it comes to choosing hospitals, the royal family appears to favor King Edward VII's Hospital, which isn't that surprising, really — their ancestor, King Edward VII became the institution's first patron after its establishment in 1899. The hospital specializes in personal care, sporting only 56 beds in total and a low patient-to-nurse ratio. In short, you are your nursing team's center of attention for the duration of your stay, and this is pretty much the treatment the royal family is used to.

Queen Elizabeth II was admitted to this hospital when she had to get knee surgery in 2003, and Camilla, Queen Consort, had her hysterectomy done there in 2007. The hospital continued to remain a favorite among royal family members — when Princess Catherine dealt with severe morning sickness during her pregnancy with Prince George, she was also admitted to the facility, and in 2018, Prince Philip was admitted to King Edward VII's for hip replacement surgery.

More recently, Princess Catherine and King Charles III opted to undergo their respective medical procedures at the London Clinic, which, unsurprisingly, also resembles a hotel more than a medical institution. Its grand opening was conducted by King George VI and Queen Elizabeth in 1932. Aside from offering excellent medical care, it has a concierge and food that resembles that of a Michelin-star chef.

While being a non-working member of the royal family can surely bump you up the social ladder, it won't do the same for your healthcare. Unsurprisingly, those who are not working members need to make arrangements for their own healthcare, which means less esteemed members of the family don't usually frequent outrageously expensive hospitals like King Edward VII's and the London Clinic. Still, just because you're not a senior or working member doesn't necessarily mean that you're broke.

Princess Anne's daughter, Zara Tindall, kept it simple when she gave birth and was admitted to an NHS facility to deliver her first two children. Her third child was in such a hurry to arrive that Zara had no choice but to give birth at home (but thankfully, everything went just fine). Prince Andrew's daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, might not be working royals, but they're pretty well off financially, and Eugenie favored the private Portland Hospital when she gave birth to her two sons. Her sister was admitted to Chelsea and Westminster Hospital for the birth of her daughter. While these institutions aren't King Edward VII's Hospital, they're still pretty fancy in their own right.

In the past, members of the royal family preferred to have a midwife by their side instead of a whole team of doctors — Queen Elizabeth II was one of those people. When Princess Catherine was set to give birth to Prince George, however, it was revealed that she was going to surround herself with a whole birthing crew should anything go wrong. 

Speaking to Hello! magazine, consultant obstetrician and gynecologist Professor Tiong Ghee Teoh said that Catherine was surrounded by a massive team. "Anything that could possibly go wrong, we had a team of people behind each speciality," he said. "Everyone was sworn to secrecy." This team of people consisted of four pediatricians, two obstetricians, three anesthetists, four surgical staff members, one lab technician, two special care baby unit staff, and three midwives. Whew! When Charlotte was born, Catherine, who now had some experience with giving birth, only hired two midwives alongside her existing doctors.

While the idea of using midwives might seem a little outdated to some, it's still very much the norm in the U.K. Louise Silverton, who works as a midwife, told The Denver Post that "it's a cultural thing." Certified nurse midwife Angela Ferrari told the outlet that midwives are not only more cost-efficient, but they're also more likely to help the mother deliver her baby without too much unnecessary intervention, meaning that the medical tools doctors tend to employ during birth are often unnecessary when a qualified midwife is around.

Preventative health care is extremely important when it comes to catching and stopping a disease in its tracks. Take King Charles III's recent procedure, for example — the monarch was diagnosed with an enlarged prostate and underwent corrective surgery to prevent any issues in the future. Regular medical screenings can literally be life-saving, so it's no surprise that the royal family makes sure they stay up to date on their medical checkups. Like us normal folks, they get their bloodwork done and go for cancer screenings. They've also been made fun of for taking very good care of their teeth, but if you had to smile at cameras as often as they do, you'd want your pearly whites to look presentable too. Both Prince Harry and Princess Eugenie used to wear braces when they were kids (and now have the stellar smiles to prove it).

Aside from their screenings and bloodwork (and the occasional dental job), members of the family also take care to eat healthy and exercise. King Charles III favors long walks and a plant-based diet. Queen Elizabeth II used to walk her dogs around the Buckingham Palace grounds and continued to do so until the last year of her life, British scientist Andrew Steele told "Today." On "The Emma Barnett Show," Camilla, Queen Consort, said Charles is "probably the fittest man of his age I know. ... He's like a mountain goat. He leaves everybody miles behind."