King Charles III has publicly revealed he has been diagnosed with cancer.
But the British monarch has opted to keep many details of his condition and treatment private.
Here’s a quick breakdown of what we know.
How do we know King Charles has cancer?
A five-paragraph statement was posted to the King’s website — www.royal.uk — announcing his cancer diagnosis.
It was published at 6pm on Monday in the United Kingdom which, because of the time difference, was early Tuesday morning in Australia.
That statement was also published on the official social media accounts for the royals — they have accounts on Facebook, Instagram and X.
But you might see media reports with details or quotes that aren’t in that statement.
Depending on which website you were reading, these details were probably either directly sent to the outlet or republished from a syndicated news service (the Associated Press and Reuters are an example of these) that outlets subscribes to.
That’s because the press office for Buckingham Palace — which is not only the King’s official London residence but also acts as an administrative hub for the British royal family — also briefed journalists as well as publishing the statements.
What type of cancer does King Charles have?
We don’t know the type of cancer the King has, only that it’s not prostate cancer.
And the palace hasn’t revealed any more details than that.
Here’s what a Buckingham Palace spokesperson said:
“No further details are being shared at this stage, except to confirm that His Majesty does not have prostate cancer.”
So keep that in mind if you read anything about what type of cancer the King could have — it would only be speculation.
Is it related to King Charles’s enlarged prostate treatment?
The palace emphasised that it was a separate issue.
Here’s exactly what the spokesperson said:
“His Majesty has been treated for benign prostate enlargement.
“It was during this intervention that a separate issue of concern was noted and subsequently diagnosed as a form of cancer.
“This second condition will now receive appropriate treatment.”
In a medical context, benign means non-cancerous.
“Benign cells do not spread like cancer cells,” the Cancer Council’s website says.
What do we know about King Charles’s cancer treatment?
Many of those details are being kept private.
Here’s the spokesperson again:
“No further details are being shared at this stage, but His Majesty is receiving expert care and looks forward to returning to full public duty as soon as possible.”
The palace confirmed the King was back in London in the statement, which was published on Monday evening, local time.
“His Majesty returned from Sandringham to London this morning to commence treatment as an out-patient.
“He remains at home in London this evening.”
What does this mean for King Charles’s appearances?
He’s off public duty for now.
Here’s the spokesperson again:
“Regrettably, a number of the King’s forthcoming public engagements will have to be rearranged or postponed.
“His Majesty would like to apologise to all those who may be disappointed or inconvenienced as a consequence.”
It’s unclear when he’ll be back on public duties again.
However, he will keep working on state business and official paperwork as usual, the statement posted on the website and social media says.
How is King Charles doing?
He hasn’t spoken publicly about how he’s handling the cancer diagnosis, but here’s what a palace spokesperson said:
“His Majesty is grateful to his medical team for their expert care and swift intervention, is wholly positive about his treatment and looks forward to returning to full public duty as soon as possible.”
It’s possible other members of the royal family such as Queen Camilla may be asked about the King’s health at her future public appearances.
But, based on previous occasions, it’s unlikely she’ll reveal anything substantial.
And Buckingham Palace has been firm on its stance that no more details will be revealed.
So we won’t know anything else until the palace posts another official update about the King’s condition.
Why go public about cancer now?
The statement posted on the website and social media answers that directly:
“His Majesty has 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.”
As we said before, the King has had to put off his public engagements, so going public will remove any speculation that could have arisen about why he was off.
And it also serves as something as a global cancer awareness campaign.
When the palace announced the King was being treated for an enlarged prostrate, it boosted awareness about the men’s health issue.
After he went public about his condition, the BBC reported a surge in prostate-related internet searches within the UK’s National Health Service.
Officials told the broadcaster they saw an average of one visit to the NHS website’s enlarged prostate page every five seconds.
And when Sarah, the Duchess of York, revealed she’d had a skin cancer diagnosis, online search engine data showed increased searches for “skin cancer” and “melanoma”.
Here’s what a palace spokesperson said in Monday’s statement:
“The King has elected to make his diagnosis public once the schedule of treatment had begun, noting that as Prince of Wales he was patron of a number of cancer-related charities.
“In this capacity, His Majesty has often spoken publicly in support of cancer patients, their loved ones and the wonderful health professionals who help care for them.”
How old is King Charles?
King Charles is 75 years old.
He was born on November 14, 1948.
Who is next in line after King Charles?
As King Charles’s oldest child, Prince William is next in line for the throne.
Prince William and his wife Catherine, the Princess of Wales, have three children.
As he is the oldest child, their son Prince George is next in line after his father.
Prince Charlotte is third in line for the throne, with Prince William’s youngest child, Prince Louis, being fourth in line.
