Buckingham Palace Issues Rare Statement on King Charles’ Health

In a statement issued by Buckingham Palace on Thursday, it was revealed that the monarch was admitted to the London Clinic “following scheduled and ongoing medical treatment for cancer.” It continued: “The King experienced temporary side effects that required a short period of observation in hospital.”

He was released the same day, something the statement also noted, along with updates about Charles’s royal calendar. “His Majesty’s afternoon engagements were therefore postponed,” it read. “His Majesty has now returned to Clarence House and as a precautionary measure, acting on medical advice, tomorrow’s diary programme will also be rescheduled.”

The king first announced his treatment for cancer in February 2024, something that was discovered following a three-day hospital stay for a benign prostate procedure. After taking time off to focus on his recovery, he returned to royal duties at the end of April 2024 with a plan to mind his doctors’ advice and pace himself as his treatment carried on. (The type of cancer that Charles is battling has not been revealed.)

All in all, it’s been pretty smooth sailing for the monarch since resuming his royal duties last year, which is why this announcement from Buckingham Palace came as a bit of a surprise. Still, his hospital stay was described as “the most minor bump in the road that’s very much heading in the right direction,” per a royal source who spoke to People. Additionally, the Telegraph noted that the bigger grievance for the king surrounding this will be that “he had to cancel engagements in Birmingham on Friday.” And, as of right now, his state visit to Italy—alongside his wife, Queen Camilla—is full steam ahead.

Of course, unlike his daughter-in-law Kate Middleton, who recently shared that she was in remission after her own cancer experience last year, we’ve yet to receive a similar update in regard to His Majesty’s health. But a sign that the monarch is doing OK following his hospitalization? He was pictured being driven away from Clarence House this morning and waving to well-wishers who came out to see him.

More than anything, we hope the king takes it easy.