King shares news so more men will have symptoms checked
Charities welcome rare level of detail from Palace
THE King decided to break with royal tradition by revealing an unprecedented level of detail about his prostate condition to encourage other men to get checked.
Charles is suffering from an enlarged prostate and will undergo a corrective procedure for the benign condition next week.
A detailed statement about his diagnosis was released yesterday in a departure from royal protocol by the Palace, which rarely reveals details about the monarch’s private medical issues. ‘In common with thousands of men each year, the King has sought treatment for an enlarged prostate,’ it read.
‘His Majesty’s condition is benign and he will attend hospital next week for a corrective procedure. The King’s public engagements will be postponed for a short period of recuperation.’
Royal sources said Charles was ‘very keen’ to share his condition with the country to encourage other men who may be experiencing symptoms to get checked in line with public health advice. He is understood to be in ‘genuinely good spirits’.
The King and Queen Camilla are staying at Birkhall in Scotland, and were seen at church on Sunday.
It is understood Charles received his diagnosis only yesterday after expressing concern earlier this week and getting checked out by doctors.
‘It is unconventional [to make the news public] but the King was very keen to help encourage awareness around this issue,’ a source said.
‘It is eminently treatable and a very straightforward procedure but it’s important men come forward in the first place to get themselves checked.’
Cancer charities last night thanked the 75-year-old monarch for helping to ‘shine a light’ on prostate conditions, which are often seen as taboo.
An enlarged prostate – medically known as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) – can be very uncomfortable, causing difficulty urinating and a frequent need to urinate. While the condition does not cause prostate cancer, it has similar symptoms to the disease, which kills one man in the UK every 45 minutes – more than 12,000 a year.
Ali Orhan, chief executive of Orchid, the UK’s leading charity for men affected by cancer, said: ‘Anything that shines a light on prostate conditions like this can only be a good thing.
‘With a figurehead such as King Charles coming forward and speaking so openly about this condition, it helps to normalise it.
‘It shows men that this illness is not a sign of weakness, even a King can have a condition like this.
He added: ‘It also shows men that it doesn’t always have to be cancer and will drive more men to seek help if they have any symptoms.’
The King lost a friend – former TV presenter Robin Page, 80 – to prostate cancer last year after an 18-month battle with the disease.
Oliver Kemp, chief executive of Prostate Cancer Research, said: ‘King Charles is absolutely right to encourage men to follow up on any symptoms they experience with their GP.
‘Fortunately, this case is benign, but one in eight men will develop prostate cancer in their lifetimes.
‘It is always better to get checked out quickly and reduce the risk of any problems becoming more serious. We wish His Majesty a speedy recovery.’
Charles had a series of meetings and events planned at Dumfries House in Scotland this week, but they are being postponed on medical advice.
The cause of a prostate enlargement is unknown but is believed to be linked to hormonal changes as a man gets older, according to the NHS website.
Treatment for the condition can include medicine as well as lifestyle changes such as taking more exercise, reducing alcohol, caffeine and fizzy drinks, and limiting your intake of artificial sweeteners.
Surgery is usually recommended for only moderate to severe symptoms that have not responded to medicine.
‘We wish His Majesty a speedy recovery’