King Charles was briefly hospitalized last Thursday, and the news of the hospitalization was embargoed until his release. Buckingham Palace quickly canceled several events and outings for Charles, and he spent this past weekend at Highgrove, all alone except for household staff. His wife spent the weekend at her separate home, Ray Mill. Charles was back in London on Monday, and then on Tuesday, he did his first event since his hospitalization. Palace aides are still saying that he and Camilla plan to travel to Italy next week.
King Charles is back on royal duty just days after he was hospitalized due to side effects of his cancer treatment. The King, 76, carried out an investiture ceremony of worthy and well-deserving members of communities across the U.K. at Windsor Castle on Tuesday, April 1.
It was his first official appearance after he was briefly admitted to the London Clinic on March 27. At the time, the palace said that “the King experienced temporary side effects that required a short period of observation in [the] hospital.”
Later that day, he returned to his London residence, Clarence House, and attended to his state papers. However, the King has taken it slow since, canceling a series of engagements in Birmingham scheduled for March 28.
On the advice of medical staff, he is pacing himself before he and Queen Camilla head to Italy on April 7. Some engagements for the end of this week have been moved, palace officials confirmed.
On March 31, palace aides confirmed to PEOPLE that the King had a “restful” weekend at his country home Highgrove House in Gloucestershire, England. It is expected that this week he will carry out a series of duties that take him from the investiture at Windsor Castle to Buckingham Palace and on outings in London. He will also hold his weekly in-person meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Here’s the thing – unlike the squirreliness around QEII’s health in the last year of her life, I actually took the briefings about Charles’s health at face value. Certainly, last year I thought they were putting a rosy gloss on what was a very serious situation, but I also thought, hey, Charles IS receiving treatment and he’s doing so pretty openly. We saw him look mealy, exhausted and drawn… and then his color seemed to improve and he looked perkier overall. I thought everything was going pretty well, all things considered. But yeah, I am starting to wonder if the palace is keeping the general public in the dark. We know he’s still receiving treatment and he still has cancer. We know that he felt ill enough to go to the hospital last week. We know the courtiers are canceling events right and left. And we also know that there’s a sense of quiet panic at the thought of Peggy the Unprepared taking over.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
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- King Charles and Queen Camilla walk along Russell Street to meet members of the public and local dignitaries as they conclude their visit to Middlesbrough. A small number of Republican protestors made their voices heard, and the King hand-delivered a birthday card to Rona Graft, who turned 100 today. 13/02/2025,Image: 963406933, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: James Glossop/Avalon
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- King Charles III, Queen Camilla, the Prince and Princess of Wales attend the annual Commonwealth Day Service of Celebration at Westminster Abbey, in London. Picture date: Monday March 10, 2025.,Image: 974325877, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Aaron Chown/Avalon
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- King Charles III and Queen Camilla attend the annual Commonwealth Day Service of Celebration at Westminster Abbey, in London. Picture date: Monday March 10, 2025.,Image: 974325984, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Aaron Chown/Avalon
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- King Charles III and Queen Camilla attend the annual Commonwealth Day Service of Celebration at Westminster Abbey, in London. Picture date: Monday March 10, 2025.,Image: 974326044, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Aaron Chown/Avalon
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- King Charles III attends the annual Commonwealth Day Service of Celebration at Westminster Abbey, in London. Picture date: Monday March 10, 2025.,Image: 974326050, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Aaron Chown/Avalon
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- LONDON, ENGLAND – MARCH 26: King Charles III unveils a plaque to commemorate the visit at Somerset House on March 26, 2025 in London, England. King Charles III is Patron of The Royal Countryside Fund. The visit coincides with the 25th anniversary of Somerset House.,Image: 979865791, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Chris Jackson/Avalon
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- LONDON, ENGLAND – MARCH 26: King Charles III during a visit to the ‘Soil: The world at our feet’ exhibition at Somerset House on March 26, 2025 in London, England. King Charles III is Patron of The Royal Countryside Fund. The visit coincides with the 25th anniversary of Somerset House.,Image: 979866165, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Chris Jackson/Avalon
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- LONDON, ENGLAND – MARCH 26: King Charles III during a visit to the ‘Soil: The world at our feet’ exhibition at Somerset House on March 26, 2025 in London, England. King Charles III is Patron of The Royal Countryside Fund. The visit coincides with the 25th anniversary of Somerset House.,Image: 979866209, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Chris Jackson/Avalon
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- King Charles III greets a guest during a reception at Buckingham Palace, London, for guests from a wide range of media organisations across the country. Picture date: Wednesday March 26, 2025. PA,Image: 979949996, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Aaron Chown/Avalon
This is the “Arrivederci Italia” tour.
Don’t let the door hit you on the way out, Carlo.
I been thinking his hospital stay was conveniently timed, especially if this man is booking spas in Africa, then he’s photographed looking like he is the literal walking dead so who knows.
Sounds like he’s the one actually having ‘good days and bad days’
I think it is fair to say that there have been so many lies and 1/2 truths that most people simply do not believe what they say. The leftover royals and the royal press have made very clear that they all have the right to lie whenever they want to lie because blah, blah, blah royals.
But William is soooooo keen! 🤣
Seriously though, I would understand the worry if William was a child, but he is a grown man. He should not be this useless by now.
I think remaining useless justifies the existence of the 60-odd people working for KP and the many grey men who brown nose him. If he was competent, he wouldn’t need so many people…their livelihoods are at stake to ensure Willie is dependent on them!
William was,allowed to be lazy by his father and grandmother. He should have been required to step up the work in his twenties instead He was seen at lavish resorts. Partying. Vacationing and not required to step up. William has gotten more arrogant and lazy now he is over 40.
Only in years, in every other way he appears to significantly lack any kind of maturity.
The Palace is going to work him to death like they did his mother.
Part of it is arrogance, thinking they’re indispensable.
Well, in a way, Elizabeth was indispensable – she was the end of an era and nobody really loved Charles…or Camilla. And now, what what we’ve seen of W&K, I don’t blame them for wanting to hold onto Charles.
Funny, for someone so indispensable, she was forgotten as soon as she was laid to rest.
I am shocked that someone who served for 70 years, is hardly mentioned.
Jan, it sounds shocking, but if you think about it… What did she do besides being a constant for a very long time? If KC had like 30-40 years on the throne, enough for a generation to grow up under his reign, he would be talked about with the same fondness (?) as his mother. The nation’s grandpa and all. I believe it will be the same with Burger King. As soon as he is king, everyone will stop yanking his chains, the propaganda machine will glorify him shiny and he will be the nation’s sulking grandpa when he is 90.
@Jan – well, she can’t be indispensable if she’s dead, and it’s always been “The King is dead, long live the King.” But she’s still high up in the polls of most beloved royals, for whatever that’s worth. Considering the RF that’s alive now, I suppose that makes sense.
I think her continuing relevance is felt in whatever affection, respect and shine still rests on the family. Just like William benefits from being Diana’s son.
He already looks as old as she was at the end.
I think he was going to do the trip come hell or high water. Whatever small complication he’d had seems to have been righted and he is going to Italy.
This is why they should never call themselves a “firm” as if they are some sort of legitimate business operation. In a real business, someone gets sick and can’t make a meeting and someone replaces that person. A real business can’t just cancel the whole deal and still operate.
It’s a family business. Like the Mafia. Complete with brown bags and dirty uncles 😏
From what I’ve read elsewhere calling the BRF ‘The Firm’ was originally intended to liken them to a particular London-based organized crime group that famously referred to themselves as such.
I remember when it first came out that Charles had cancer and they sort of downplayed it saying it wasn’t too bad and he was getting treatment. And my mom immediately said they were lying. And it was worse than they were saying. No idea. Wish him good health as I would anyone. Too bad his health hasn’t had him reflecting on how to be a better father and grandfather to the Sussexes.
My guess is that he has lymphoma and will just be on treatment for years, but the 5 year survival rate is fair.
5 year survival. But Charles is 70 or 80. And working as much as possible. He does get the best care in the world though…I’d say 3-4 years in his case though.
@ Shannon, hi. We recently found out my MIL has lymphoma. She is receiving Chemo and a form of Immunotherapy: Keytruda.
I don’t fully understand, but don’t want to make my wife more anxious asking questions she, herself, doesn’t want the answers to and is scared.
MIL is 76, has been ill for a year now with a bad Lupus flare – which is how they discovered the cancer.
I hate to put you on the spot (obvs not expecting a medical response) just something from someone who is/has gone through this and can tell me anything please. Thank you 🙏
My uncle lived for 10 years with lymphoma and died of pneumonia. But everybody’s different so who knows.
Hi Hannah – I’m very sorry to hear about your mother in law. I hope she’s got a good team and a strong family support system!
I don’t have medical expertise with lymphoma, I just have 2 family friends who have gone through it. Both were diagnosed in their 60s, and one was on chemo for nearly 5 years, and he did pass away from another issue ultimately, which was likely exacerbated by the chemo.
The other has been going on 3 years and he works, travels, lives his life quite normally while maintaining a regular cadence of chemo treatments.
Obviously everyone is different, and has different experiences. For me, the way Charles was diagnosed (prep for another procedure) and continues treatment that fatigues him but allows him to mostly maintain his lifestyle, it reminds me of these 2 family friends.
Based on William’s coldness, laziness, disinterest and lack of empathy….I’d rather Charles remain in power as long as possible.
Also given we have Trump. KC did agree at short notice to meet Zelenskyy on a Sunday. Anybody imagine William the unwilling breaking into his weekend for anything?
Charles may not understand paternal duty but he does understand monarchical duty at least. Yes, lol, to William interrupting his weekends, at least willingly.
It seems it’s one or the other in this family business. William may be a better father than Charles but he’s been a worse Prince and, eventually, will likely be a worse king. If the monarchy survives, maybe George will be able to get it right.
Charles can go to the hospital and then back out within a week. William is basically MIA and Kate even more so. These two are over 30 years younger and just do absolutely nothing.
As the Queen was declining no one was thinking Charles wouldn’t be able to step in. But it’s clear William is not ready and Kate is having more off days than an elderly cancer patient.
Will the keens ever really be ready?
But, but don’t forget about the 10-hour-a-day endless school run that the bodyguards are incapable of doing!
Kate was at least the patient and she’s not the future monarch. William has no excuse to not have stepped up to help take the burden off his father. He could’ve supported his spouse and father both. But it would’ve required not being so tremendously lazy and self absorbed. He took Kate’s illness as his own get out of work excuse.
His days*, and not even every day, could’ve been something like:
School run
Morning and maybe early lunch with Kate
Late morning and/or Afternoon event(s) (we known he uses helicopters so it wouldn’t even need to be local)
School run
Evening with family
*according to their narrative
So Charles is ill enough to be hospitalized and Camilla heads back to Ray Mill for the weekend? Isn’t that strange behaviour for a loving spouse?
Their “love” is transactional.
I don’t think they spend much time together. He’s basically a spoiled brat with a hair-trigger temper which has probably gotten worse through his cancer treatment and she just gets sick of it. She also enjoys having her grandchildren around which isn’t good for someone undergoing chemo — kids are like petrie dishes, always coming down with colds and sniffles — not good for someone whose immune system is compromised.
Would they allow Camilla to be accompanied by a well-stocked bar when sitting with Chuck in the hospital?
William and Kate appear to be doing the same separate-homes thing, at least some of the time. Seems to be a family tradition.
from a medical standpoint it seems clear that whatever kind of cancer he has, it’s Stage IV, that is, NOT curable and he will die of it. could be months or years, impossible to know. But the fact that he has been receiving chemotherapy for more than a year indicates that there is no chance of even remission, the point of chemo is to keep it (more or less) in check.
William thinks he’s about to grab the brass ring, so to speak. I’m thinking Charles is of a mind with his own mother-die in office because he doesn’t trust his successor.
Curious how it is a problem and it means divorce when Meghan and Harry go out on their own for lunch or an evening but Charles and Camilla can lead two completely separate lives and it’s suddenly a picture perfect marriage.
I think the cancer is not responding to treatments and that the “temporary side effects” are ugly digestive system issues. Thus, Charles cannot afford to be more than seconds away from a bathroom at any time.