In Touch: Courtiers think King Charles’s cancer ‘is worse than they’re making it out to be’

Buckingham Palace has never revealed details about King Charles’s cancer. Likewise, Kensington Palace has released very few details about the Princess of Wales’s cancer. We don’t know much of anything about what kind of cancers they have or what kind of treatments they’re undergoing. What I find most bizarre about this radio silence is that the royal reporters with the most access to royals and their staffers have not asked for more information, nor are they actually investigating the situation whatsoever. So, there’s an information vacuum and the American tabloids are stepping into that vacuum. In Touch Weekly ran another story about the Windsors and their sources are naming Charles’s cancer. Not only that, their sources are saying the prognosis is not good.

King Charles III has only been Britain’s reigning monarch for 18 months, yet his funeral plans are already set amid his battle with pancreatic cancer. Named “Operation Menai Bridge,” the monarch’s funeral processions will look similar to Queen Elizabeth II’s ceremonies, dubbed “Operation London Bridge.” As his cancer progresses, royal insiders tell In Touch that Charles’ final resting plans are of timely prioritization.

“It’s a fairly common thing to do among the British royalty, but in Charles’ case expediency is necessary,” says the source, who notes that “some courtiers believe Charles’ cancer is worse than they’re making it out to be.”

“Operation Menai Bridge” is set to include familiar protocols. When the monarch dies, Charles’ body will be moved from the throne room at Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall. He will lie in state, and his official funeral will take place nine days later. He will likely be buried in the royal vault at Windsor Castle.

“It will have all the pomp and circumstance befitting a British monarch,” adds the source.

The update comes shortly after a separate high ranking royal insider told In Touch that Charles is not only battling pancreatic cancer – a timely update given that he did not share what kind of cancer he was diagnosed with – but has a mere two years to live.

“King Charles is much sicker than the palace lets on and simply isn’t up to the job of running his fractious family, the crown’s business interests and fulfilling the daily duties of the monarchy,” the member of the royal inner circle revealed in early March. “His cancer is eating him alive. He’s very frail. The situation is desperate.”

With such an update, the future of the monarchy seems shaky at best, and even Queen Camilla is said to be frustrated by Charles’ declining health and weakened status.

“Behind the scenes, Camilla is disgusted by the king’s apparent weakness and is providing him little comfort as he battles his fatal cancer,” a palace courtier told In Touch in early March, highlighting her vacation from royal duties which started on March 4. “By going on holiday, she was thumbing her nose at stepson William, who is incapable of shouldering the monarchy’s burdens on his own.”

[From In Touch via Yahoo]

This comes after In Touch’s previous reporting that Charles is worried about “public relations disaster” Prince William, and how Charles doesn’t think William is up for the job. These stories came out before Charles made his big outing on Easter Sunday, where I honestly thought he looked somewhat perky. Of course, I also believe that Charles’s doctors probably gave him a shot of something – painkillers, etc – to get him out and about and looking so spry. Anyway, if it’s pancreatic cancer, that’s incredibly serious and I understand why it feels like there’s such a huge freakout happening behind the scenes. It also feels like that’s why so many royal commentators are soft-launching “Charles’s cancer is very serious, regardless of the positive energy from BP these days.”

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.

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80 Responses to “In Touch: Courtiers think King Charles’s cancer ‘is worse than they’re making it out to be’”

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  1. Tessa says:

    Unfortunately nothing will move William to work even camilla thumbing her nose at him and vacationing

    • acha says:

      This detail of the report is weird. There has been a lot of focus on making sure we think Charles and Camilla adore each other etc. etc. — some courtier hates her and is undermining her even as we speak, by spilling these details to In Touch. We know from Spare that it’s a terrible environment, the Queen must’ve been holding it all together and it fell apart into a snapping hive of vipers when she died.

  2. seaflower says:

    Probably Vitamin B injections as well to give him energy.

  3. Maeve says:

    Charles’ funeral has been planned for years, it’s codename is Operation Menai Bridge after the bridge over the Menai Strait in Wales. When he was Prince of Wales it would have been a ceremonial royal funeral, as soon as he became king it would have been upgrade to a State funeral (in practice there aren’t huge differences). William will have a plan for his as well.

    • SarahCS says:

      Yeah I can see why they’re using it as part of the framing for this story but in itself it’s not ‘news’. This stuff is always planned out and may get tweaked from time to time but the plans are in place for years and years.

      • Talia says:

        This. They were caught on the hop with Diana’s funeral and a decision was made to never ever have that happen again.

        I suspect a funeral is planned for every member of the RF at this point.

  4. Chaine says:

    That’s terribly sad if it’s true. I mean, it is sad any time someone is dealing with cancer, but this one seems to avoid discovery until means of treatment are useless and the end is close. At least in his case, he has lived a full life and his children were able to grow up with him.

    • Waitwhat says:

      Yeah my mom died of pancreatic cancer in 2021- 7 months exactly from diagnosis to passing. It’s a really brutal form of cancer and I hope that’s not what KC has, for his sake.

      • DeeSea says:

        @Waitwhat I’m so sorry. That must have been awful for all involved. Pancreatic cancer in particular is so insidious. Sending you virtual hugs.

      • therese says:

        Waitwhat, I am truly sorry about your mother. Losing one’s mother is brutal. I hope you are ok.

  5. Rob says:

    I would not be surprise if CIII or Kate did not have cancer.

    • Persephone says:

      You and me both, Rob.
      Especially Kate.
      Way too coincidental.

    • Honey says:

      Respectfully disagree. The Royals stay far away from negative news that would affect any family members’ stability and viability. I bet they had to swallow a lot of pride to make this public.

    • Kelly says:

      I believe Charles does, but I’m honestly skeptical about Kate. It just seemed like too convenient an excuse to get people off their backs after months of nonsense with the press, especially when they had the example of how Charles’ diagnosis was handled.

    • acha says:

      Sadly stomach cancer is becoming more and more prevalent as the world fills with toxins. On the plus side, some forms of it are treated relatively easily with milder chemo (like the Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma of the stomach that I had from 2011-2014).

  6. Who knows what is real and isn’t real with this family of liars. Maybe he is sicker than thought or maybe he isn’t sick at all. I doubt we will get the real truth from them.

  7. Eleonor says:

    For once I agree: the cancer is worst than we think, for both of them.

  8. Leigh_S says:

    Pancreatic cancer especially at his age? Two years is likely the outside estimate. The 5 yr survival rate if not found before spread is 15%.

    He went in for ‘something routine’ then this was discovered. I’ve been down this road with my mom. It means they likely found colon cancer and the pancreatic is secondary. For her it was less than a year from relatively normal to gone.

    • Waitwhat says:

      In so sorry for your loss. This is exactly how it happened with my mom too- initially they thought it was colon cancer then discovered it had just spread from the pancreas. Brutal disease.

      • Grey says:

        I’m so sorry for both of your losses, cancer is a horrible and insidious thing.

        My dad passed in 2020 after a few years of battling cancer. I hem I saw the pictures of King Charles yesterday I was struck by how sick he looks. I remember looking back on pictures of Dad after he passed and realizing that he did actually look sick even though I didn’t see it at the time. I felt the same way seeing Charles yesterday and all it made me feel was sad.

    • Lisa says:

      Sorry for your losses. While pancreatic cancer is hard to diagnose, Charles’ blood is probably taken all the time, wouldn’t it show up in a check up? He will have amazing medical care, checked every day.

    • MelodyM says:

      If this is the case, that man should be moving heaven and earth to see Harry, Meghan, Archie and Lili before it’s too late! He needs to make amends now while he still can.

  9. Carmen says:

    Considering the source for this report is In Touch Weekly, I’ll take this with heaping tablespoons of salt. I’ll believe it if I see it in the New York Times.

    • Concern Fae says:

      Knew someone who worked in the tabloids. Sometimes reporters for more reputable organizations who won’t run a story like this will feed it to a paper further down the food chain. That way “it’s out there” and they are more likely to be able to get approval for their own stories.

      You never actually know, but I suspect it when a mag like In Touch runs something that seems more reality based and rings more true than the usual fan fiction

      • BeanieBean says:

        Interesting.

      • JoanCallamezzo says:

        That’s fascinating insight. It tracks. I have thought some stories from In Touch were right on the money but how can that be, given it’s In Touch. So they lay the ground work for bigger reporters to swoop in, huh.

      • Another Anna says:

        Wasn’t In Touch first to publish about the Josh Duggar stuff? They’re a tabloid, yes, so I think it’s fair to be suspicious of their claims. But this wouldn’t be the first time In Touch has been right about a story other publications aren’t willing to print. Combined with what you’re saying, I’m not willing to immediately dismiss this.

    • TigerMcQueen says:

      Honestly, the NYT isn’t much better these days.

  10. Harper says:

    “When the monarch dies, Charles’ body will be moved from the throne room at Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall.” Does InTouch know that CRex doesn’t live and sleep in the throne room? Sounds as if they are planning on him dying there.

  11. Shawna says:

    These quotes are awfully juicy. There’s a lot of detail and a lot of salaciousness. It doesn’t sound like what a courtier would say. But I love the sh*t-stirring.

  12. Rapunzel says:

    “even Queen Camilla is said to be frustrated by Charles’ declining health and weakened status.

    “Behind the scenes, Camilla is disgusted by the king’s apparent weakness and is providing him little comfort as he battles his fatal cancer,” a palace courtier told In Touch in early March”

    Say what now? This is an interesting tidbit.

    • EasternViolet says:

      Right? That was what jumped out of me right away. Not surprised that Camilla has made enemies in court…

    • Kaaaaz says:

      Very interesting. What a contrast to his first wife, who was famous for her empathy and compassion.
      Karma.

  13. Steph says:

    Camilla is disgusted by Charles weakness due to cancer? That’s one of the cruelest things I’ve heard in a while.

    • ML says:

      Steph, I don’t know if that’s entirely true? Camzilla has wormed her way into the RF, but in the past, she wasn’t the most popular member. Who is the source for this and do they like her? I could easily see her making enemies who might want revenge.

      • SarahCS says:

        Yeah this reads to me more as gloves coming off and knives out for Camilla that anything that might be true (I mean we can question the sourcing for everything they say here beyond him having a plan for his funeral).

      • Shawna says:

        I would buy that someone has it out for Camilla. She is the one with the most power in the royal family right now, so they should all be scared of her. The thing we know about Camilla is that her power rests on two things: her ability to placate Charles and her ability to manipulate the media. This story tried to kryptonite both of these superpowers.

        I’m interested to see if this line of thinking gets traction in other outlets, or if it just dies.

    • Honey says:

      Very cruel and I don’t believe it.

      • JoanCallamezzo says:

        IF Camilla doesn’t know how rapid moving pancreatic cancer is maybe she is frustrated at Charles for not having a fighter response. I see only fear in his eyes. Putting on my tin foil tiara-maybe Charles is the only one with cancer and Kate is recovering from an abdominal wound and Huevo is in secret rehab.

    • Miss Melissa says:

      I don’t believe this at all.

      Separate lives or no, she has always been his comfort. No way.

      • Saucy&Sassy says:

        Miss Melissa, how much comfort can she be when they live separate lives? Do we really know how much time the two of them spent together in the past?

        Do I think someone has it in for her? Yes. Do I think that she has played a game with the media that have people angry? Yes.

        She and KFC may have rehabilitated her public facing image, but that doesn’t say anything about what she’s like in private.

  14. ML says:

    This is the second incredibly detailed article on KC and the royals in InTouch. Has this information been printed in a more reputable news source? Or have the royals attacked it? The specificity is believable, InTouch traditionally less so.

  15. Chantal1 says:

    “…The member of the royal inner circle said…”. Camilla is that you? Bc she has been smiling….a lot!

    I don’t pay attention to US tabloids but this is what the streets are saying (by streets I mean XTwitter and other SM). Who greenlit this article bc dang, it practically has C-Rex in the grave. I’ve been ignoring the rumors of the type of cancer he has but this is downright morbid. Nice of them to slam Willy Nilly at the end too.

    “Behind the scenes, Camilla is disgusted by the king’s apparent weakness and is providing him little comfort…” I can believe this bc that woman is ruthless. If there was any way for C-Rex to appoint her as the next monarch, she would undoubtedly find a way to make it happen. I thought C-Rex would become a footnote in his own reign bc of William but instead it will be bc of Camilla. Will should be more worried about her instead of his one sided war against Harry.

  16. Just Jade says:

    They allowed him to party instead of preparing for the job because they thought the spare was going to be around forever to pick up the slack and that’s why they are so angry at Harry for getting married and have his own family unit. Remember what Harry said in Spare Willy told him that he may never get married because he might not be for him.

  17. aquarius64 says:

    If Charles is extremely ill why hasn’t William been appointed regent? It’s because William can’t do the job and they know it. It’s why the press is trying to push Meghan & Harry to come back and get the B side of the LoS to go to work. It’s why the press is trying to mop up KP’s PR mess because it shows William’s incompetence, a preview of what he would be as monarch.

  18. Brassy Rebel says:

    I don’t know. It’s In touch Weekly. On the other hand, he still doesn’t look very good to me.

  19. Becks1 says:

    I just don’t buy anything like this being printed in In Touch. No high ranking royal insider is calling In Touch with these kinds of details.

    • SarahCS says:

      Agreed, my only possible theory is that with the British press maintaining the secrecy for whatever reasons (they don’t know but aren’t asking, or do know but aren’t printing – both curious), this is how they are releasing what they themselves would otherwise print.

      • Brassy Rebel says:

        I think that putting the truth out there but using a third rate gossip rag is kinda on brand for BP. But who knows? 🤷

    • Shawna says:

      Carole’s camp seems to be working with American outlets lately….

      • Becks1 says:

        I think if this was coming from Carole it would be more focused on william and Kate and not as much on Camilla (I doubt Carole knows anything about Camilla really) and Charles.

    • Proud Mary says:

      Becks1, you endow “high ranking royal” with too much respect. I won’t be surprised at all if some royal stooge isn’t leaking to In Touch, given the invisible contract that exists in the UK. Isn’t In Touch owned by AMI, which also owns the Enquirer? (AMI is conservative leaning; I think the guy in charge is friends with Trump). Yes, Enquirer is garbage, but even that broken clock gets it right twice a year. Don’t you find it suspicious that they had a cover story about Kate’s cancer diagnosis on the very day that Charles announced his, which incidentally, was weeks before Kate did the cancer video?

      • Becks1 says:

        Not really, honestly. Once KP came out and said “oh Kate’s surgery isn’t cancer related” I don’t find it surprising at all that some tabloids ran with the opposite take on it.

        I also think saying a 74 year old man diagnosed with cancer only has two years to live isn’t really that earth shattering.

        I would trust this story more if it came from even Us Weekly or People. But as it is…..meh. Maybe there is some truth to it, but I’m not accepting this whole thing as gospel.

  20. Schrodinger's Kate says:

    This is depressing. Right now he looks much better than my husband who was given some hope, though that was before he took a bad turn last week. My husband has a different cancer than pancreatic though. I’m hoping he can rally.

    Anyway…moving right along…I am truly sorry for Charles and yes, I do believe he is sick with cancer because his eyes have that same sort of sunken look I see every day now in person. They’re doing a very good job with his makeup and his thick hair helps him look robust. But he does look ill.

    I do understand why he hasn’t personally disclosed the details of his cancer because I would imagine articles like these must be terribly distressing and depressing.

    I’m not shocked nor surprised Camilla may be disgusted at his weakness. I get nauseous reading comments on social media about how they’re each other’s true loves. What rubbish! She was an opportunistic hag in her 20’s and she’s still an opportunistic hag. She lives on spite, nicotine and gin. Mostly on spite.

    Even if this story is a pack of lies, she doesn’t look particularly upset. In fact, she’s practically glowing.

    William actually looks like hell the way I do, so I’m confused about what he really is going through. But having seen how he’s treated his wife in public, it’s hard for me to extend him the benefit of a doubt. Having seen how SHE reacts to him in public, yeah I’m a bit skeptical of the story KP is trying to sell.

    • Shawna says:

      Wishing you the best for your husband.

      • antipodean says:

        @Schrodinger’s Kate, I am so sorry to hear about your husband’s cancer, it must be soul shattering for you both. Wishing you all the strength and fortitude to endure what you must, and healing vibes and peace in your lives too. It is an insidious disease that steals so much from its victims and their loved ones.

    • Phyllis says:

      Sending you and your family much love…very sorry you all are going through this.

    • QuiteContrary says:

      I’m so sorry, Schrodinger’s Kate.

    • Chaine says:

      Sending positive energy your way. It is tough to be so ill and it is also tough to be in the caretaker role.

    • Grey says:

      Sending you lots of strength. I hope you are able to find some time to care for yourself too while doing the important job of caregiving.

    • bisynaptic says:

      Best wishes to you and your family.

  21. Proud Mary says:

    I did not see the videos of Charles’ walkabouts, but I did see some pictures, like the ones that now accompany this post by Kaiser, and was quite surprise by the claims that he looked great, “perky” even. I’m sorry, not to be too harsh, but I thought dude looked like death warmed over. Hope I’m wrong, but I suspect the 2-year prognosis is quite generous.

    • Saucy&Sassy says:

      Proud Mary, I agree. I’ve had two family members who died of cancer. KFC does NOT look well at all. I seriously doubt that he has two years.

  22. Mslove says:

    In Touch paints a very bleak picture for the royal family. It’s such a stark contrast to what the BM prints. The only believable part is the king’s illness & Peg’s incompetence.

  23. Mary Pester says:

    I posted over a week ago that Charles is a lot worse than they are admitting. How can they admit that H. M. S house of Windsor is without a real, blood line captain at the moment, but in fact the wreck of the Hesperous is in charge?? The Heir is M. I. A and even when he is there he’s as much use as a chocolate tea pot. Heather’s T was spot on when she told me what was going on, and she’s right, Charles has got a tremor and tries not to use his left hand, maybe this is what the goings on in Balmoral are all about, we will soon see. Charles is a dogsht father and grandfather and whilst I sympathise with anyone with any kind of cancer I hope he has been visited by the ghost of his mother and she has told him to make amends to his youngest son and his family.
    Yes we hand London Bridge for the Queen, and it is Menai Bridge for Charlie, bet it’s DENTAL bridge for Billy!
    @Schrodingers Kate, I’m so sorry for what you are going through with your husband lovey, I’m thinking of you BOTH xc

    • lanne says:

      I love your analogies, MP! Useless as a chocolate tea pot! *chef’s kiss*.

      We’re watching the Fall of the House of Windsor in real time, and while it’s just desserts in many ways, I’m also shaking my head at what could have been. Racism is so insidious that they are willing to destroy a 1000 year instiitution rather than admit that a nonwhite person could help it move forward. The BM must be getting desperate. They can pretend that “their man” is a perfect family man with a perfect family, but their “perfect man” keeps proving them wrong whenever he shows up in public!

      So what’s going to happen? Some of the rota ratchets think that if they close their eyes and wish, Harry will magically return to the UK with no wife and no kids. That seems to be the only game plan in development. Are they resigned to the ship sinking underneath them? I wonder how far they will go to pretend that everything is okay?

    • Saucy&Sassy says:

      Mary Pester, I wonder if KFC will go to Balmoral after Trooping (or before if necessary). I could see that happening.

      If KFC is so ill, who is steering the ship? Is anyone other than the grey men? Where is Bone Idle located these days–is she at Adelaide or Anmer or? Is Billy Idle’s side piece going to occupy Frogmore Cottage? Enquiring minds want to know.

      Okay, I love the fact that you came up with an American poet. Sending you lots of positive energy.

  24. Andrea says:

    I am not sure why Camilla is so smiley when he looks so ill. My only thought was maybe she is soaking up the limelight while she still can.

    • DeeSea says:

      I was also wondering about this. One thing that popped into my head was this: If I were Camilla and if I knew the expiration date on my role was approaching, what would my swan song look like and how would a farewell tour play out? I wonder if this is what we’re witnessing.

      • CassieO says:

        Ooh, interesting take…

        Maybe she’s also trying to clean up the negative rep because it’s part of her retirement plan. Attempting to build love and devotion before making some sort of play?

  25. QuiteContrary says:

    So, yeah, this is In Touch, but Camilla being disgusted by Charles’ weakness tracks for me, because she seems enthralled mostly by power.

    And William being “incapable of shouldering the monarchy’s burdens on his own” is obvious to everyone.

    Both Camilla and William are vile.

    • Lady Digby says:

      And William being “incapable of shouldering the monarchy’s burdens on his own” is obvious to everyone.
      Unfortunately being King is a front of house, highly visible position not limited to issuing platitudes , written by a spin doctor, whilst hunkered down with a pizza and box set in one of his mansions with 99 lavs.

  26. MerlinsMom1018 says:

    To me? For the first time that I can remember, Charles looked exactly what he is. A frail, sick old man. I know, the cancer takes too much away and it is hell, but he always seemed so, I dunno, ALIVE and interested no matter what they sent him to do, but now? I think he’s just going through the motions because he has to. I just don’t see him lasting much longer although his grandmother lived to 102 and QEII was what, 99? so I could be wrong.
    And I think QEII checked out in self defense, especially with THAT family personal opinion)