By Wonderwall.com Editors
7:00am PST, Feb 7, 2024
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King Charles III and Queen Camilla were photographed smiling and waving to supporters in London on Feb. 6, one day after the palace announced Charles is being treated for cancer. The couple was leaving Clarence House for Buckingham Palace, according to the Press Association news agency, with plans to travel to their Sandringham residence.
Charles and Camilla's departure was photographed shortly after Prince Harry visited his father at Clarence House amid news of his illness, according to Page Six.
King Charles's surprise health concern has royal watchers and insiders speculating about what's next for the now-dwindling ranks of working British royals, particularly with Princess Kate recovering from abdominal surgery. Complicating matters, of course, are the facts that Prince Harry has stepped away from the family and that Prince Andrew has been tied up in the Jeffrey Epstein scandal.
Keep reading to see more new photos of Charles, then click through to find out how the royals will manage his absence during cancer treatment…
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The British royals have not disclosed what form of cancer the monarch is suffering from, saying only that it was discovered during his recent "procedure for benign prostate enlargement" and that he's begun "regular treatments, during which time he has been advised by doctors to postpone public-facing duties."
"Throughout this period, His Majesty will continue to undertake State business and official paperwork as usual," the palace said in a statement.
He'll also continue to meet with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak each week, according to The New York Times.
Still, King Charles has been a very public monarch for Britain, participating in 425 royal engagements in 2023, per The Daily Telegraph. (His sister, Princess Anne, notched two more than her older brother, with 457 events under her belt that year, per the outlet.)
Queen Camilla has already indicated she plans to continue working, and has already followed through with a cancer center opening following Charles's diagnosis.
Should Charles become unable to perform his monarchical duties, counselors of state would be named, though the Times reports no such plans have been made. Camilla and Prince William, however, are "on the roster for that role," according to the outlet.
MORE: World leaders react to King Charles III's cancer news
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Charles's diagnosis comes as Princess Kate is recuperating from surgery. Prince William had been expected to perform fewer royal duties while Kate recovers, DailyMail.com reported this week.
Instead, he appears to be getting back to work sooner than he may have planned, with two public events on his schedule for Feb. 7, according to the Mail.
William has also been less open about the nature of Kate's health concerns than Charles and Camilla have been about the king's health.
"His Majesty has chosen to share his diagnosis to prevent speculation and in the hope it may assist public understanding for all those around the world who are affected by cancer," Buckingham Palace said in a statement.
But the Times also emphasizes that any public discussion about the disease is a new trend for the royal family. Queen Elizabeth II's death certificate, for example, listed "old age" as her cause of death in 2022. A biography of Elizabeth written by family friend Gyles Brandreth, however, reported she was battling bone-marrow cancer before her death.
Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live on Feb. 6, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said of Charles's diagnosis, "Thankfully, this has been caught early."
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Prince Harry, meanwhile, may have returned to London to see his ailing father, but it's unclear what, if anything, that means for his relationship with his estranged brother, Prince William, especially if William is shouldering more royal duties than usual.
Harry would "gladly" take his brother up on an invitation to catch up "if an opportunity were to arise," a source told The Mirror. But the outlet reports William doesn't plan on seeing Harry during his stay.
"The prince's main focus is for [Princess Kate] who is recovering from surgery, his three children and now his father," said a source close to William. "There are no plans for Harry's visit to act as some kind of vehicle for reconciliation."
The brothers have been at odds for years, with tensions between them exacerbated by Harry's departure from royal life and his claims about the family's alleged treatment of his wife, Meghan Markle, in interviews and in his memoir.
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King Charles's cancer treatment schedule has not been made public, so it's also unclear how he'll navigate any potential conflicts — and there are some duties only the monarch can perform.
One of those is green lighting the dissolution of Parliament ahead of a general election and the Times reports an election is expected to take place in 2024.
