“Her Majesty has chosen to share her diagnosis [...] in the hope that it can help the public understand all those affected by cancer around the world”
, indicates Buckingham in the press release of February 5, 2024. The franchise of this revelation is a first in the history of the British royal family.
If King Charles III, 75, decided to make his illness public, it is in particular because he has been involved in the fight against cancer for many years.
The monarch also disclosed in January the operation for the enlarged prostate from which he suffered, in order to encourage more men to undergo screening examinations for this common pathology.
“We will all be affected by cancer”
In 1997, while Prince of Wales, King Charles III became patron of one of Britain's largest charities, Macmillan Cancer Support.
This organization provides support, medical, financial and emotional, to people diagnosed with cancer.
On 23 June 1999, the King addressed Central Hall in Westminster in a speech at the launch of Macmillan Cancer Support's new campaign called 'A Voice for Life'.
“Like so many others in this country, I have been deeply affected by cancer in all kinds of ways
,” he says.
“By what I see, hear and read about it almost daily.
More intimately, through my own family and countless friends and acquaintances
,” he continues.
Indeed, in 1951, although the term cancer was not used, his grandfather King George VI had his left lung removed.
Charles III's own mother, Queen Elizabeth II, was also treated twice, for colon cancer and a breast tumor.
The Prince of Wales at the time explains that these experiences taught him a lot about the fear of cancer and that enormous progress had been made over many years in the treatment and care of patients.
“But what saddens me most is that [...] despite the greater openness we show today when talking about cancer, we still use the same words and the same terrifying images to describe it
, he laments in this speech.
We can all question our attitude towards cancer and make sure we see the person before we see their cancer
.
“We will all be affected by cancer, directly or indirectly, at one time or another in our lives
,” he concludes.
Reactions from associations
Becoming a patron of Macmillan Cancer Support, in subsequent years he was able to visit many of the centers run by the charity across the UK.
The most recent was in March 2022, when he visited the University College Macmillan Cancer Center hospital in Camden.
Camilla, the wife of Charles III, went on Wednesday January 31 to the Royal Free hospital in London for the inauguration of a new support center for cancer patients, Maggie's Royal Free.
The Queen Consort is also very invested in the cause of this disease.
Since becoming President of Maggie's in 2008, she has visited 17 Maggie's centers across the UK.
The sovereign is also the godfather or president of at least seven cancer-related charities, as listed on the royal family's website.
Several of them, as well as other associations supported by the royal family, sent their thoughts to the king after the announcement of his cancer.
“Our thoughts are with His Majesty the King and his family. We send them our best wishes during this time which, we know, must be incredibly difficult
,” Macmillan Cancer Support said on the social network X.