True toll of King Charles’ cancer treatment and ally who ‘changed everything’

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Today marks a year since King Charles was admitted to hospital for a prostate procedure that days later saw him receive a cancer diagnosis – and a royal expert has set out how this will affect the rest of his reign

With a packed diary of engagements, 2025 looks to be a busy year ahead for King Charles.

Tomorrow he will be in Poland for a poignant ceremony to mark the 80th anniversary of Auschwitz and in just a few month’s time will travel to Italy for a trip where he will meet the Pope. His duties as monarch also keep him busy as do his public engagements up and down the UK.

But a year ago today, things looked quite different as he went to hospital to be treated for a benign, enlarged prostate. News of his condition came days earlier, just hours after it was announced the Princess of Wales had undergone abdominal surgery.

Then just over a week later came the shock announcement from Buckingham Palace that the King had cancer – not prostate cancer but another undisclosed form. After taking a short time away from public-facing duties while he started treatment, he eventually resumed engagements and even completed a huge overseas tour to Australia and Samoa last autumn.

His cancer treatment continues as he enters into another busy period with more overseas travel and royal expert Jennie Bond believes it shows how the King, much like his daughter-in-law Kate, has had to find a new normal.

The former BBC royal correspondent told the Mirror: “A full year of treatment must certainly have taken its toll, but he’s shown that he is absolutely determined to get back to working as normally as possible.

“Like Catherine, the King is undoubtedly having to get used to a ‘new normal’. His doctors will continue to keep an extremely close eye on him and will do their best to warn him if he is taking on too much. Understandably, though, Charles is a man in a hurry. Cancer has changed the way he thought his reign would begin, and it will be hard to shake off the anxiety that living with cancer must bring.”

One person who has been a constant support for the King has undoubtedly been his wife Queen Camilla. She has been at his side during his Australia tour and will be with him during his trip to Italy in the spring.

And Jennie believes it is the Queen who has given Charles a “new perspective”. She added: “Since marrying Camilla I think Charles has had a new perspective on life: one in which the glass tends to be half full rather than half empty.

“And, cancer or not, I think that’s how he’ll approach the rest of his reign: full of optimism that he can achieve some of his goals and make a lasting impression in the role he waited so long to assume.”

Courtiers have said the King’s treatment “continues to move in the right direction” but changes to his schedule may be necessary if circumstances were to change. A source said: “The Australia and Samoa tour lifted his spirits, his mood and his recovery as did celebrations with his closest family over the Christmas period.”