was caught early and the whole country is hoping for a speedy recovery, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said Tuesday, as the monarch鈥檚 son Prince Harry reportedly flew from the U.S. to visit his father.
Buckingham Palace announced Monday evening that the king has begun outpatient treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer. It was found during his for an enlarged prostate but is a 鈥渟eparate issue鈥� and not prostate cancer, the palace said.
鈥淭hankfully, this has been caught early,鈥� Sunak told BBC radio, adding that as prime minister he would 鈥渃ontinue to communicate with him as normal.鈥�
鈥淢any families around the country listening to this will have been touched by the same thing and they know what it means to everyone,鈥� Sunak said. 鈥淪o we鈥檒l just be willing him on and hopefully we get through this as quickly as possible.鈥�
Less than 18 months into the reign that he鈥檇 famously waited decades to begin, has suspended public engagements but will continue with state business 鈥� including weekly meetings with the prime minister 鈥� and won鈥檛 be handing over his constitutional roles as head of state.
The palace said Charles, , 鈥渞emains wholly positive about his treatment and looks forward to returning to full public duty as soon as possible.鈥�
The king鈥檚 younger son, Prince Harry 鈥� who , moved to California and has a troubled relationship with his father 鈥� has spoken to Charles about the diagnosis and 鈥渨ill be traveling to the U.K. to see His Majesty in the coming days,鈥� said the office of Harry and his wife, Meghan. British media reported that he was en route Tuesday from Los Angeles.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau joined a chorus of well-wishers from Canada and around the world on Monday in wishing King Charles a speedy recovery.
Trudeau said that after hearing the news, he鈥檚 thinking about the King, as are countless others.
鈥淚, like Canadians across the country and people around the world, am thinking of His Majesty King Charles III as he undergoes treatment for cancer,鈥� Trudeau said on social media.
鈥淲e鈥檙e sending him our very best wishes 鈥� and hoping for a fast and full recovery.鈥�
Gov. Gen. Mary Simon said she like all Canadians is sending good wishes to the King as he begins treatment. In a statement, Simon praised the monarch for leading by example in choosing to share his diagnosis.
鈥淪eeing His Majesty acknowledge cancer so openly and publicly will hopefully encourage and motivate those who are struggling with their own treatment,鈥� she wrote. 鈥淲e admire the King鈥檚 strength and determination as he confronts this disease.鈥�
Charles became king in September 2022 when his mother, , died at the age of 96 after 70 years on the throne.
News of the king鈥檚 diagnosis comes as his daughter-in-law Kate, Princess of Wales, recovers from abdominal surgery that saw her hospitalized for about two weeks.
Kate is taking a break from royal duties as she recovers. Her husband, Prince William, , also took time off to help look after her and the couple鈥檚 three children, but is due to preside over a ceremony at Windsor Castle and a charity dinner on Wednesday.
Charles departed from royal tradition with his openness about For centuries Britain鈥檚 royal family remained tight-lipped about health matters.
Disclosing information about his cancer diagnosis 鈥� albeit in a limited way 鈥� is another break with tradition.
When U.K. monarchs had real power, news of illness was withheld for fear it might weaken their authority. The habit of secrecy lingered after royals became constitutional figureheads.
The British public wasn鈥檛 told that Charles鈥� grandfather, King George VI, had lung cancer before his death in February 1952 at the age of 56, and some historians have claimed that the king himself wasn鈥檛 told he was terminally ill.
In the final years of Elizabeth鈥檚 life, the public was told only that the queen was suffering from 鈥渕obility issues鈥� when she began to miss public appearances towards the end of her life. The cause of her death was listed on the death certificate simply as 鈥渙ld age.鈥�
When and how much to disclose about illness remains a difficult subject for many public figures. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin for not telling President Joe Biden or other key leaders that that he was being treated for prostate cancer, even when he was hospitalized in intensive care in January for post-surgery complications.
Buckingham palace said that the king 鈥渉as chosen to share his diagnosis to prevent speculation and in the hope it may assist public understanding for all those around the world who are affected by cancer.鈥�
Charles took the throne intending to preside over a slimmer monarchy with fewer carrying out ceremonial public duties. But with Charles and Kate both temporarily sidelined, Prince Harry self-exiled to California and Prince Andrew largely banished from view because of his association with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, the royal 鈥淔irm鈥� risks becoming severely overstretched.
William and Charles鈥� wife, Queen Camilla, are both expected to take on extra public engagements during the king鈥檚 treatment.
There are no current plans to call on the 鈥渃ounsellors of state鈥� 鈥� senior royals, including the queen and the heir to the throne 鈥� to deputize for the monarch on constitutional duties such as signing legislation and receiving ambassadors.
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