Queen Camilla has shared for the first time her struggle to keep King Charles III’s cancer diagnosis private.
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This revelation came during a visit to a cancer support center just five days before Buckingham Palace officially announced the diagnosis. On January 31, 2024, Camilla opened a new Maggie’s center at the Royal Free Hospital in London.
At that time, Charles had already received his cancer diagnosis, which had not yet been made public, although it was known that he was recovering from treatment for an enlarged prostate. Buckingham Palace announced the cancer diagnosis on February 5.
Camilla, who is president of Maggie’s, said knowing about her husband’s diagnosis changed the way she spoke to cancer patients and their families during the visit. “I remember coming to see a Maggie’s just after the king being diagnosed. Nobody could say anything at the time. That was quite difficult,” she said.
The remarks appear in a seven-minute anniversary film posted on Wednesday to the Royal Family and Maggie’s YouTube channels. Camilla was filmed speaking with Maggie’s chief executive Dame Laura Lee at Clarence House, news agency The Guardian reported.