What happened?
Cancer is one of those things that, once someone in a family is diagnosed, everyone else should be extra vigilant. That’s why, when King Charles announced his cancer diagnosis, speculating about his parents possibly also having had cancer started swirling. And Kate Middleton’s diagnosis put even more of a spotlight on the royal family and the things we learn and don’t about their medical history, even though family history isn’t applicable there.
Now, a new book is claiming that Prince Philip went through a private journey with pancreatic cancer at the end of his life. According to historian Hugo Vickers’s new book, Queen Elizabeth II: A Personal History, Prince Philip was diagnosed in 2013, eight years before his death. Buckingham Palace has not announced what type of cancer King Charles has, only specifying it is not prostate cancer.
“Doctors had detected a shadow on his pancreas, and had cut him right across his stomach,” Vickers wrote in the book, which is being serialized in the Daily Mail. “The verdict was inoperable pancreatic cancer.”
At the time, according to Vickers, it was believed he would not make any more public appearances. But the Duke of Edinburgh ended up living eight more years after the diagnosis. He passed away in April 2021. “But, as ever, the Duke outwitted the pessimists,” Vickers said.
He stayed briefly at Wood Farm, ironically, where the former Prince Andrew has been living since he was stripped of his titles and evicted from Royal Lodge. But he returned to public duties that same year, 2013. Four years later, in 2017, he retired from public duties and spent the rest of his years mostly living at Wood Farm.
The husband of Queen Elizabeth II died at Windsor Castle on April 9, 2021. He was 99 at the time, and the cause of death given was simply “old age.”
According to Vickers, Philip had no interest in reaching 100, with the biographer writing that he “did not want to reach his 100th birthday” because he “disliked the fuss attendant at such events.”
“On the last night of his life, he gave his nurses the slip, shuffled along the corridor on his Zimmer frame, helped himself to a beer and drank it in the Oak Room,” Vickers wrote. “The following morning, he got up, had a bath, said he did not feel well, and quietly slipped away. By this point, he had lived with pancreatic cancer for nearly eight years — far longer than the usual survival time from diagnosis.”
Was Queen Elizabeth with him? According to Vickers, the answer was no. “The Queen was not there when he died. There had often been times in earlier days when she had asked the staff to let her know when Philip was leaving, only to be told, ‘His Royal Highness left 20 minutes ago.’”
Ironically, this seemed to be the case for his final goodbye, too. Vickers was told that she “was ‘absolutely furious that, as so often in life, [Philip] left without saying goodbye.’”
William & Camilla Reportedly ‘at War’ as He ‘Fears’ She’s Negatively Impacting His ‘Unwell’ Father’s Health—He’s ‘Genuinely Stressed Watching’ Charles’ Decline
With King Charles’ illness and reports that Prince William is set to take over sooner rather than later, come the questions about what the dynamics in the family are these days. And one relationship that has always faced a lot of scrutiny is that of Prince William and Queen Camilla.
RadarOnline.com reports that the two are “at war” right now over reports that Camilla is not pushing Charles to rest as he recovers from his cancer. “William has been urging his father to ease off and genuinely take a step back to focus on his health, but each time he brings it up, it seems to trigger tension because Camilla is seen as encouraging Charles to keep pushing forward with his public duties. It’s becoming a recurring point of conflict between them,” a source said.
“The state banquet in particular really brought those differences to the surface,” the source explained, referring to the state visit from the President of Nigeria. “William was firmly of the view that Charles simply wasn’t well enough to attend and should have prioritized rest, but Camilla was adamant that their presence was necessary, especially given the scrutiny the family is under.” So, “They ultimately went ahead, but it didn’t ease concerns – if anything, it heightened them.”
Of course, after the banquet, there was a lot of talk about the King’s health. “Afterwards, a lot of the discussion centered on how fatigued and unwell Charles appeared, which only reinforced William’s fears that his father is doing too much. For him, it felt like clear evidence that his concerns aren’t being taken seriously, and that has made the situation even more difficult.”
And William seems to believe his man adversary on his quest to have his father take care of himself is Camilla. “There is a growing sense internally that William now sees himself in direct opposition to Camilla on this issue. The phrase being used is that he feels almost at war with her, because he cannot reconcile what he sees as her role in encouraging Charles to keep pushing himself when, in his view, his health should be the overriding priority.”
“William is genuinely distressed watching what he believes is his father taking on too much. He feels there is a clear need for Charles to slow down, but from where he stands, every effort to suggest that is effectively shut down. He sees Camilla as the main barrier to any meaningful reduction in workload, and that has left him feeling increasingly frustrated and, at times, powerless to intervene.”
And there are suggestions that the relationship between William and Camilla might never recover from this. “Behind closed doors, the language being used is quite stark – that he can’t forgive her for what he perceives as this situation. It has stirred up a lot of unresolved feelings from the past, and those tensions have come rushing back.”
There have always been reports that William has had a hard time warming up to Camilla—for good reason, considering the relationship between Charles and Camilla was happening while Charles was married to William’s mother, Princess Diana. And now, it seems like things are worse.
“What might once have been a practical disagreement about duty has now taken on a far more personal dimension for him.”
Charles Reportedly ‘Gravely Ill’ as Sources Claim William’s ‘Coronation Could Be as Soon as Summer’—’It’s Only a Matter of Time…’
The health of King Charles has been a topic of discussion for a while, particularly considering how little the general public knows about what’s really wrong with him. Sure, it’s been announced he has cancer, but there has been no official announcement about what type of cancer or details about his prognosis. And lately, the reports coming from the British royal family have started to sound like things are not going too well.
RadarOnline.com is reporting that Charles “remains gravely ill and as callous as it may sound, it’s only a matter of time before things decline,” according to one source. And the outlet says that it has started to raise alarms and suggestions of whether he should step down.
“People are openly saying Charles should do the right thing and abdicate. There’s a growing consensus that the family needs to start anew with a clean slate. Having William and Kate in place while His Majesty hands over the reins during a dedicated transitional period makes a whole lot of sense to most people inside The Firm,” the source added.
It hasn’t even been three years since King Charles’ coronation, but reports swirl that people close to the palace are already preparing for another one. RadarOnline reported that the King is planning to abdicate soon. “King Charles is going to step down. He is going to abdicate, and they are going to use the excuse of his health, which has been declining because [the situation with Andrew] has been very stressful and almost too much for him to bear,” a royal insider said.
And it will reportedly be soon. “Assuming everything goes to plan, and he agrees to the terms of his abdication,” a source told the outlet, “William’s coronation could happen as soon as this summer.”
Rob Shuter’s “Naughty But Nice” Substack had reported earlier this month that Charles was expected to step down within the year, so it all seems to line up. “The transition will look measured and dignified. Health provides the most unassailable explanation,” the source said about Charles‘ battle with an undisclosed form of cancer. “Charles will not be seen as pushed,” the source explained. “He has waited a lifetime for this role. When he steps back, it will be entirely on his terms.”
There’s even talk about what the coronation will look like, with reports indicating the Prince and Princess of Wales will scale down from Charles’ coronation. “William and Kate won’t want anything as ostentatious when the time comes,” a source said. “There will still be plenty of pomp and splendor, but certainly nowhere near the same level of expenditure. Word is that they’ll use half the budget. They’re committed to modifying the monarchy and being less frivolous with taxpayer money.”
According to royal expert Andrew Lownie, Charles “is actually very ill and Prince William is beginning to call the shots.” And sources say the winds of change have been felt for a while.
“William and Kate are working harder than ever to preserve the monarchy and ensure everything runs as smoothly as possible in public and behind the scenes,” the source said.
“These are unprecedented times. Everyone inside The Firm has been instructed that it’s more imperative than ever to keep a calm head and try to rise above all the outside noise engulfing the family right now. Their sheer devotion and passion to the cause is second to none – it’s fair to say the royals would be utterly lost without them.”
Beatrice Reportedly Finding Royal Life ‘Very Hard’ Amid Report William Wants Her ‘Head on a Chopping Block’—She Feels ‘Hammered & Bullied’
How is she doing?
With some separation after the arrest of the former prince Andrew for suspicion of misconduct in public office, there have been questions about how much the British royal family knew about what he was doing. Were they protecting him for all these years and have only cut ties with him now that he’s so toxic it’s ruining their image? And what does this decision mean for his daughter, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie?
The sisters were once considered important in the future of the monarchy, and now will reportedly not attend upcoming royal events, including the Easter service and the Royal Ascot. But according to HELLO!, this is their decision, and the family is still supporting them as much as they can behind the scenes.
“The question is, would they want to go to a public event of that nature?” a friend of the York sisters asked. “They will get criticism whether they go or not – and not just that event. They just can’t win. Bea has found the scrutiny very hard, especially the strain of the past few weeks. It has felt as though things have been in freefall, and she’s being hammered and bullied by commentators.”
However, the outlet also says Beatrice is persevering and trying to block out the outside noise. “Bea is keeping calm and carrying on. She learnt a lot from her grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II. This is a family in turmoil, but Bea is working hard; the juggle of full-time work and being a parent is her main priority, in order to keep herself mentally strong and her life moving.”
And though friends indicate she doesn’t see herself as a victim, Beatrice does believe that “people forget about the human element of what they’ve been going through, too.”
But she’s reportedly doing well, and so is her marriage to Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi. “The only things that Bea and Edo are navigating are their busy jobs and looking after their children. Like so many working parents, they have to balance work with looking after the kids. Recent reports that things aren’t good between them are not true at all. Things are great between them, and the only distance between them recently has been physical distance, because of work.”
The recent reports come after RadarOnline alleged that even though the sisters were not believed to be involved with Epstein like their parents, their association with them could still be seen as problematic for the British royal family. “There is a real concern that Prince William wants their heads on the chopping block as part of a harder line on which royals should remain publicly associated with the institution,” a source told the outlet.
“Beatrice and Eugenie feel like they are living in horrific limbo. They have spent years carefully building respectable private lives, yet the fallout from their parents’ controversies keeps circling back to them.”
Charles May Not Invite Harry to a Final Meeting After All Amid Accusations He Used His Kids as a ‘Bargaining Tool’—There’s ‘Low Trust’
What’s the latest?
Ever since King Charles and Prince Harry met up in September of 2025, there’s been speculation about another reunion. Especially considering that the King is still sick, and he hasn’t seen his grandchildren in years. But is it happening? Will Prince Harry and Meghan Markle visit the UK with their children?
A new report indicates the King might be reluctant to invite his son and his family to stay at Sandringham over the summer due to “low trust and bitter experience” after recent reports about the relationship have hurt the relationship in the past few years. That reportedly includes Harry and Meghan’s interview with Oprah, and Harry’s memoir, Spare.
The comments, reported by the Daily Mail indicate that the relationship between the two remains difficult. The source said, “If Harry truly wishes to see his father, he would do well to encourage his supporters to allow such matters to be discussed privately, since low trust and bitter experience in this regard remains one of the principal barriers to progress.”
In the past few months, reports have indicated that Harry is keen to reconcile with his father and make sure his kids can see him. Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, who are six and four respectively, have not seen their grandfather for four years. And Harry would reportedly accept an invite to Sandringham, but it would all depend on the security provided.
A friend of Harry’s reportedly told The Sunday Times: “If he was invited by the King, he would get a package of security that automatically kicks in,” adding, “He’d like an invite to Sandringham. Would he go? It would depend who was there. If the King was to say, ‘Come up and spend some time with the family’, he’d love that.”
Will it happen? “There are lots of scenarios to make it work, but it’s all out of Harry’s hands. No father would want to put their kids at any risk.”
The outlet, however, reported that a private invite would not automatically mean enhanced security protection. Publicly-funded security is meant to be only for attending official events at the monarch’s request or invitation. And The Daily Beast reported that the palace has not taken this suggestion well, saying that everyone would be “horrified by any suggestion of using the king’s grandchildren as a form of bargaining tool.”
“Harry has lost his security case in court, and is now trying the emotional blackmail route to get what he wants instead, cynically using the threat of Archie and Lilibet never meeting their grandfather again as a tactic to coerce the king into overruling RAVEC,” the outlet said.
“The idea that the security forces are going to allow the Sussexes to be attacked by an acid-throwing or knife-wielding maniac on British soil is absurd, and Harry knows it. Using it as leverage, as a reason to withhold his kids from their grandfather, is beyond contempt. Charles is being treated for very serious cancer, so even if he could find the time, he cannot just fly to Los Angeles at the drop of a hat, like Harry can—and actually did earlier this year—in the other direction.”
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