ROYAL FAMILY
Will Harry visit Charles III? The Duke of Sussex’s travel plans to see his father
Following the announcement from Buckingham Palace that King Charles III has been diagnosed with cancer, the thoughts of everyone were with him.
King Charles of Britain has been diagnosed with a form of cancer, leading to the postponement of his public-facing duties during treatment, as announced by Buckingham Palace on Monday. The 75-year-old monarch, who ascended to the throne in September 2022 after Queen Elizabeth’s passing, maintains a “wholly positive” outlook on his treatment and eagerly anticipates resuming full public duties at the earliest opportunity.
Following a recent three-night hospital stay for a corrective procedure on an enlarged prostate, a separate concern related to a “form of cancer” was identified, although specific details were not disclosed by the palace.
Family first: Harry to fly home to see father
Shortly after the announcement by the palace, Charles’ youngest son, Harry, the Duke of Sussex, was reported to have spoken with his father. A source close to Prince William’s brother advised that he would also be travelling back to the UK soon to see him.
Harry and his wife Meghan, along with their two children, now live in the United States. This decision to move across the Atlantic came after the couple stepped down from royal duties in 2020.
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Reactions to news of King Charles III cancer diagnosis
Reactions to the announcement of King Charles’ diagnisos have poured in from various leaders. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak expressed his well-wishes, saying, “Wishing His Majesty a full and speedy recovery. I have no doubt he’ll be back to full strength in no time, and I know the whole country will be wishing him well.”
Opposition Labour Party Leader Keir Starmer, who is expected to be in Number 10 before the year’s out, echoed the sentiment, stating, “On behalf of the Labour Party, I wish His Majesty all the very best for his recovery. We look forward to seeing him back to swift full health.” London Mayor Sadiq Khan, representing the sentiments of Londoners, conveyed, “On behalf of Londoners, I wish His Majesty a speedy and full recovery. I look forward to his return to full health as soon as possible.”
Michelle O’Neill, the First Minister of Northern Ireland from the Irish nationalist Sinn Féin party, extended her sympathies, saying, “I am very sorry to hear of King Charles’ illness, and I want to wish him well for his treatment and a full and speedy recovery.”
Further afield, the Biden administration’s thoughts are said to be with King Charles and his family. The U.S. State Department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel made a comment at the regular news briefing, stating: “Our thoughts are with the king ... and his family. That’s incredibly sad news.”