King Charles' Current Condition Amid Cancer Treatment

King Charles (Photo: Instagram/@theroyalfamily)

JAKARTA - King Charles finally commented on his health condition in the midst of ongoing cancer treatment.

On July 22, the 76-year-old King spoke openly about his health while greeting the people in Newmarket with Queen Camilla, who was the end of their visit there.

"I asked how it was, and he said it was so much better now. He said, 'Yes, this is just one thing to do,' said Lee Harman, a local resident and cancer filler, as quoted from the People page.

The 54-year-old man also shared his health journey with the King.

"He asked back how I was doing, and I answered, 'I'm fine, last year I was declared free from cancer,' said Harman.

King Charles' honest statement became a rare moment, because so far he rarely directly discussed his physical condition, even though he continued to carry out various royal duties amid cancer treatment announced in early 2024.

In February 2024, Buckingham Palace announced King Charles was diagnosed with cancer and immediately started treatment. In January, he underwent medical procedures, due to prostate enlargement. However, a palace spokesman confirmed that the King did not have prostate cancer.

On the advice of doctors, the King postponed public activities for three months, but continued to carry out state affairs behind the scenes.

He began to appear again in public at the end of April 2024. According to the palace source, his treatment is expected to continue until this year.

"The treatment shows positive development, and as a condition that is managed sustainably, the maintenance cycle will continue until next year," the palace source said on December 20, days before the King attended Christmas Mass with his family.

But on March 27, the palace announced that King Charles had to be hospitalized for a while due to the side effects of cancer treatment. He was treated in London Clinic, the same place while undergoing previous prostate surgery, due to a temporary reaction requiring brief observation.

Palace sources confirm that this kind of incident is not a strange thing. A royal source described the incident as a bit of an obstacle on the journey whose direction remains positive. The King returned to work the following week.

In late May, the King and Queen, now 78, made an official two-day visit to Canada. One of the royal aides explained how the King faced his illness while still carrying out his duties.

What is learned from this disease is, we must be able to manage it, and that's what he does. Medical science is now very advanced, and I really don't see any change from him," said the aide.

"As long as you carry out the doctor's advice and live as normally as possible, everything can keep going. And that's what he did," he continued.

Previously, in the same month, Raja also spoke with a young student named Stamford Collis (22 years old) who was undergoing cancer treatment. During a meeting at a garden party at Buckingham Palace, the King discussed his diet and influence on treatment.

"He asked about my treatment which will start in June, and mentioned food and diet. He also asked if I had undergone radiation therapy, and I said yes, earlier this year," Collis told The Telegraph.

Hearing this, King Charles said, "Sometimes treatment also relies on diet and what we eat. It can help."

Queen Camilla's son, Tom Parker Bowles, known as culinary writer, once said that the King and Queen undergo a simple, healthy, and always season-appropriate diet. Their food ingredients also come from their own royal harvests.