King Charles III addressed the public directly for the first time after his cancer diagnosis and thanked him for their support over the past few days. “I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for the many messages of support and good wishes I have received over the last few days,” Charles said, according to a statement released late in the evening by Buckingham Palace. “As anyone affected by cancer will know, such kind thoughts are the greatest comfort and encouragement,” the statement continued.
He said it was also heartening to hear that sharing his own diagnosis had helped to advance public understanding of cancer and shine a light on the work of all those supporting cancer patients and their families in the UK and around the world. “My lifelong admiration for their tireless care and commitment has been heightened by my own personal experience,” the King said.
Buckingham Palace announced on Monday that Charles had been diagnosed with cancer. During his recent hospital treatment for a benign prostate enlargement, another problem emerged, it said. The subsequent diagnostic tests would have detected a form of cancer. The king has now started regular treatments. However, doctors advised him not to attend any public appointments during this time. He will continue state affairs. The palace did not say exactly what type of cancer it was.
King Charles (75) has been the British monarch for more than a year after his mother Queen Elizabeth II died in September 2022.
