Royal tour to Oz in doubt Who will fill in for King Charles?
King’s cancer diagnosis Door is now ajar for Harry
A long-anticipated visit to Australia by King Charles hangs in the balance after the monarch’s shock cancer diagnosis, with the palace refusing to confirm any planned future state visits.
His Majesty, accompanied by Queen Camilla, was expected to travel to Australia in late October just before or after the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Samoa.
Royal commentators suggested Prince William could step in for King Charles at CHOGM, just as Charles did many times when Queen Elizabeth was unwell during her reign.
A Palace official said: “We have not confirmed any state visits for later on in the year and won’t until nearer the time”.
The dates for the royal couple’s first visit to Australia since the 2018 Commonwealth Games had not been officially confirmed, but planning was at an advanced stage.
Canberra’s parliamentary schedule has a week-long break on both sides of the CHOGM conference, which would have allowed a royal visit to Australia without interrupting the parliamentary sitting calendar.
In a statement released early morning Australian time, Buckingham Palace confirmed King Charles had been diagnosed with a form of cancer after a “separate issue of concern was noted” while the 75 year old underwent an operation on an enlarged prostate last month.
“Subsequent diagnostic tests have identified a form of cancer,” the Palace confirmed.
“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.”
He will now receive treatment at a London hospital.
King Charles’s cancer diagnosis will force Prince Harry into a potentially tense reunion with his father, stepmother and brother, with the rogue royal expected to fly to London immediately.
The Duke of Sussex has spoken with the King about his cancer diagnosis and will travel to the UK to see him soon, a source close to the Prince told the Press Association.
“The Duke did speak with his father about his diagnosis. He will be travelling to UK to see His Majesty in the coming days,” the source close to Prince Harry said.
The King is “wholly positive about his treatment”, and “looks forward to returning to full public duty as soon as possible,” the statement from the Palace read.
Royal author and journalist Robert Jobson said the King “is in a positive frame of mind” and is “expected to make a full recovery”.
The King informed his sons Prince William and Prince Harry, and his siblings Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward, prior to the announcement.
Prince Harry is set to travel to the United Kingdom to be by his father’s side.
The diagnosis comes seventeen months into reign of King Charles III.
The King had been regarded as having generally good just the health, despite several brushes with Covid-19 over the past few years, and the corrective procedure on his enlarged prostate in January.
While the Palace did not specify what type of cancer the King had been diagnosed with, they revealed doctors had advised him to “postpone publicfacing duties”.
“Throughout this period, His Majesty will continue to undertake State business and official paperwork as usual,” the Palace statement read.
Queen Camilla will continue to fulfil all her public duties while King Charles is being treated, Buckingham Palace confirmed.
But Prince William is likely to play a key role at a number of key events.
The Duchess of Sussex will stay at home with their two children, Prince Archie, four, and Princess Lilibet, two.
The King contacted both Prince William and Prince Harry to personally inform them of his cancer diagnosis before the news went public.
Prince Harry has not seen his father or brother since the King’s coronation in May 2023, despite making a quick visit to London in September for the WellChild awards.
Royal watchers speculated there may have been a slight thaw in relations in November when Harry called his father to wish him a happy 75th birthday. But the tensions over what Harry has revealed about the royal family over the past few years may prove hard to paper over.
In his January 2023 memoir Spare, Harry accused Charles of being cold and overly formal, and Camilla of being a serial leaker.
QUEEN CAMILLA
The Queen of Consort will continue her public duties and engagements without her husband Charles, however, she could be called upon to fulfil important state roles.
PRINCE WILLIAM
As the first in line to the throne, Prince William is generally regarded as the second in command and will most likely have added responsibilities while his father recovers.
The Prince of Wales, who had taken time off to look after his three children while Princess Catherine had surgery, is due to preside over an investiture ceremony at Buckingham Palace and a charity dinner on Wednesday.
“His Majesty has chosen to share his diagnosis to prevent speculation …
PRINCE HARRY
The Duke of Sussex lives with his family in the United States and has stepped back from being a “working royal”. By law, Counsellors of State are required to have a UK domicile, but Harry has no address in the UK and lost his Frogmore House in Windsor last year.
Palace statement
PRINCESS ANNE AND PRINCE EDWARD
Princess Anne and The Duke of Edinburgh may be called to stand in for the King, after they were re-added as extra Counsellors of State in 2022. Both had previously been Counsellors of State before they were overtaken in the order of succession.
PRINCE ANDREW
Withdrew from royal duties after his association with US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein became public at the late Queen Elizabeth’s insistence.