Buckingham Palace issues emotional statement during King Charles’s cancer treatment

hen King Charles posted a congratulatory message to Prince Harry over the weekend to mark his son’s 40th, it was the olive branch Harry had been hoping for.

After all, this was the first public acknowledgment from the king toward his son in two years. Last week, sources close to the king told VF that the monarch was planning to mark his son’s birthday in some way, and the brief but thoughtful social media post issued on Sunday was deemed appropriate.

Aides have refused to comment on whether the king spoke to his son over the weekend when Harry was celebrating, but sources close to Charles insist he would have talked to Harry on his birthday.

“Usually it’s the case that when a birthday has a zero in it, then that milestone is marked with a social media post,” says one royal insider. “It was always the king’s intention to publicly acknowledge his son’s 40th, and I am sure that the king will have spoken to Harry on his birthday. After all, it is his son, and whatever has happened, Charles loves Harry unconditionally as any parent does, and Sunday was an important day.”

The Prince and Princess of Wales also took to social media to wish Harry a happy birthday. “Wishing a Happy 40th Birthday to the Duke of Sussex!’” However, according to insiders, the estranged brothers are not on speaking terms following the damaging allegations about their relationship in Harry’s autobiography. According to one source: “It’s going to take more than Harry turning 40 to soften the rift between the two of them.”

Queen Camilla shared an upbeat update about how King Charles is doing as he continues treatment for cancer.

On Sept. 3, the Queen, 77, offered a rare comment on her husband’s health during her visit to open the new state-of-the-art Dyson Cancer Center at the Royal United Hospital in Bath, England. The Royal United Hospital provides cancer care to over 500,000 people in South West England, and Suzy Moon of the Macmillan Partnership asked the Queen about how King Charles was feeling during her stop at the Macmillan Wellbeing Hub.

“He is doing very well,” Queen Camilla said, according to the Mirror.

The Macmillan Wellbeing hub is a non-clinical space designed to provide practical and emotional support to patients, families and carers.

Elsewhere during the visit, the royal met patients and clinical staff in the Medlock Unit and William Budd inpatient ward. Queen Camilla may have referenced her husband again during a conversation with Paul Holdway, 55, a nurse and patient receiving a stem cell treatment for blood cancer. According to the Mirror, the Queen asked Holdway how he was feeling, to which he replied, “I am feeling very tired.” To this, the Queen cheekily responded, “Men won’t admit it.”

The Mirror reported that the remark was delivered “with a touch of humor.”

 

Queen Camilla sometimes shares brief words about her husband’s health as he continues cancer treatment, often with wit and warmth. During the second annual Queen’s Reading Room Literary Festival at Hampton Court Palace on June 8, she told author Lee Child that the King is “doing fine except he won’t slow down and won’t do what he’s told,” The Sun reported.

In February, Buckingham Palace announced that the sovereign was diagnosed with cancer  following his treatment for a benign enlarged prostate in January. A spokesman clarified he does not have prostate cancer.

After a three-month period of postponing public-facing duties on doctor’s advice (but continuing to work behind the scenes), the King, 75, resumed forward-facing work on April 30 with a visit to a cancer center in London alongside Queen Camilla. While site of the visit, the University College Hospital Macmillan Cancer Centre, has not been directly involved in the monarch’s medical care, highlighting the importance of early detection was one of the reasons King Charles went public with his cancer diagnosis.

A spokesperson for Buckingham Palace previously said this decision was made “in the hope it may assist public understanding for all those around the world who are affected by cancer.”

When the monarch’s return to work was announced in late April, the palace described the King’s treatment as ongoing and shared a positive sentiment from his doctors.

“His Majesty’s treatment program will continue, but doctors are sufficiently pleased with the progress made so far that The King is now able to resume a number of public-facing duties. Forthcoming engagements will be adapted where necessary to minimize any risks to His Majesty’s continued recovery,” a Buckingham Palace spokesperson said.

The palace didn’t disclose when his treatment might be completed.

“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,” the spokesperson said.

The King proceeded to pack in a busy summer schedule, from traveling to France to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings and appearing at Trooping the Colour in June, attending the State Opening of Parliament in July and kicking off a traditional summer stay at Balmoral Castle in Scotland in August where Prince William, Kate Middleton and other members of the royal family were expected to gather. (The Princess of Wales, 42, is also undergoing treatment for cancer and has been out of the limelight for much of the summer.)

King Charles’ most recent engagement was a stop on Aug. 31 at the Royal Horticultural Society of Aberdeen’s 200th Flower Show in Aberdeen, Scotland, not far from Balmoral. Looking ahead, he and the Queen have a major trip on the calendar this fall with plans to visit Australia and Samoa in what will be the first tour to Commonwealth countries of his royal reign.