King Charles III Halts Public Engagement Due to Cancer Treatment Effects
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Synopsis
On March 28, Buckingham Palace announced that King Charles III has suspended his scheduled public visit to Birmingham due to side effects from his cancer treatment. The King, undergoing treatment since February 2024, returned to Clarence House after a short hospital stay. He expressed apologies to those affected and hopes to reschedule his engagements soon.
Key Takeaways
- King Charles III has postponed his public visit to Birmingham.
- He is experiencing side effects from cancer treatment.
- Returned to Clarence House after a brief hospital stay.
- The King aims to reschedule his engagements.
- His recovery is progressing positively.
London, March 28 (NationPress) Britain's King Charles III has put a hold on his upcoming public engagement in Birmingham, England, which was initially planned for Friday, due to side effects stemming from his ongoing cancer treatment, as announced by Buckingham Palace.
The King commenced his cancer treatment in February 2024, according to reports from Xinhua news agency.
The palace indicated that the recent side effects necessitated a brief hospital stay for monitoring.
He has now returned to Clarence House in London.
“His Majesty wishes to extend his apologies to anyone who may be affected or disappointed by this change,” the palace stated, as reported by CNN.
The King was set to receive credentials from the ambassadors of three nations on Thursday and had four public engagements lined up in Birmingham on Friday.
“He sincerely hopes these engagements can be rescheduled in the near future and expresses his deepest apologies to all those who worked diligently to arrange the visit,” a spokesperson from Buckingham Palace mentioned.
A royal insider referred to the situation as “a minor bump in the road, but progress is being made.”
The palace's announcement was made late on Thursday to give the King time to consult with his staff and medical team after returning to Clarence House about whether to proceed with Friday's schedule, as reported by CNN.
Charles is said to be in good spirits post-treatment, continuing to handle state papers and make phone calls from his study, a royal source informed CNN.
He and Queen Camilla are still anticipated to visit Italy for a state visit in April. This trip will also include a visit to the Vatican; however, the King and Queen recently postponed their visit to the Holy See as Pope Francis recovers from a recent bout of double pneumonia.
The King's recovery appears to be on a positive trajectory, and the side effects he experienced on Thursday are temporary and not unusual with various medical treatments, the royal source confirmed.
A spokesperson for UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressed well wishes to His Majesty the King, according to Britain’s PA Media news agency.
Queen Camilla was not present for the brief visit to the London Clinic, which is the same private hospital near Regent's Park where he underwent a procedure for an enlarged prostate in January 2024.
The King disclosed his cancer diagnosis a month later.
He took a brief hiatus from public duties while receiving treatment for the undisclosed form of cancer, returning to engagements in April 2024.
During his first official engagement after his diagnosis, Prince Charles visited a cancer treatment center, sharing his personal experiences while engaging with medical teams and connecting with patients and their families.
Thousands of individuals sent the King messages of support upon his diagnosis, which he stated “moved me to tears,” according to a palace statement released at that time.
“Such kind sentiments are the greatest comfort and encouragement,” Charles expressed.
Following his diagnosis, it has been understood that his schedule has been developed in close consultation with his medical team to prioritize his recovery.
Charles is believed to have found that conducting state business and daily engagements in recent months has greatly benefitted his overall wellbeing.
After concluding his trip to Australia and Samoa last fall, a palace official remarked that the visit had uplifted “his spirits, mood, and recovery,” according to PA, and described it as a “perfect tonic.”
Earlier this week, he hosted a reception for regional media at Buckingham Palace and conducted an investiture at Windsor Castle, while last week saw him embark on a three-day trip to Northern Ireland.
