Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Prince Harry visits England after father's cancer diagnosis

- By Jill Lawless

LONDON - King Charles Ill's ccmcer was caught early and the monarch will "crc1ck on" with his constituti­onal duties, Britain's prime minister said Tuesday, as Prince Harry flew in from California­foramrevis­itwithhisf­ather.

Royal officials announced Monday that the 75-year-old king has been dia~,'nosed with an undisclose­d form of cancer and is receiving treatment as an outpatient.

Less than 1B months into the rei{,'n that he'd famously waited decades to begin. Charles suspended public engagement­s but will continue with state business- including weekly meetings with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak- and won't be handing over his constituti­onal roles as head of state.

On Tuesday afternoon, Harry could seen arriving at the king's Clarence House residence in a black SUV after an overnight flight.

The two hav-e a troubled relationsh­ip, and Harry has seen his father infrequent­ly since the prince quit ruyal duties in 20ID cmd mov-ed to Los Angeles with his wife, Meghcm, citing what they said was the unbeamble intrusions and racist attitudes oftheBriti­shmedia.

Harry,39,has since detailed his rocky relationsh­ip with his family and his royal inheritanc­e in TV interviews, a documentar­y and a memoir, "Spare."

About an hour after Harry arrived, Charles and Queen Camilla were driven from their residence to nearbyBuck­ingham Palace in a roy-al Bentley. The couple waved to tourists and well-wishers gathered outside the palace gates. They then traveled by helicopter to Sandringha­m, the monarch's rural residence in eastern England

Buckingham Palace said the king's cancer was found during Charles'recenthosp­ital treatment for an enlarged prostate but is a "separate issue" and not prostate cancer.

"Thankfully, this has been caught early," Mr. Sunak told BBC radio, adding: "We'll crack on with everything."

"Many families around the country listening to this will hav-e been touched by the same thing and they know what it means to everyone," Mr. Sunak said. "So we'll just be willing him on and hopefully we get through this as quickly as possible."

The palace said Charles, who has generally enjoyed good health. "remains wholly positiv-e about his treatment and looks forward to returning to full public duty as soon as possible."

Charles became king in September 2022 when his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, died at the age of 96 after 70 years on the throne.

News of the king's diab'llOsis comes as his daughter- in- law Kate, Princess of Wales, recovers from abdominal surgery that saw her hospitaliz­ed for about two weeks.

Kate is taking a break frum roy-al duties as she recovers. Her husbcmd. Prince William, who is heir to the throne, also took time oft" to help look after her and the couple's three children, but is due to preside ov-er a ceremony at Windsor Castle cmd a charitydin­ner on Wednesday.

Charles departed from royal tradition with his openness about his prostate condition For centuries Britain's royal family remained ti{,'ht-lipped about health matters.

Disclosing informatio­n about his cancer diab'llOSis- albeit in a limited way - is another break with tradition

When U.K. monarchs had real power, news of illness was withheldfo­rfear itmightwea­ken their authority. The habit of secrecy lingered after royals became constituti­onal fibrurehea­ds.

The British public wasn't told that Charles' grandfathe­r, King George VI, had lung cancer before his death in February 1ffi2 at the age of 56, and some historians have claimed that the kinghimsel­fwasn't told he was terminally ill.

In the final years of Elizabeth's life, the public was told only that the queen was suffering from "mobility issues" when she begcm to miss public appearance­s toward the end of her life.

 ?? James Manning/ PA via AP ?? King Charles Ill leaves Clarence House in London on Tuesday. His son, Prince Harry, flew in from California for a rare visit with his father after officials announced the monarch's cancer diagnosis.
James Manning/ PA via AP King Charles Ill leaves Clarence House in London on Tuesday. His son, Prince Harry, flew in from California for a rare visit with his father after officials announced the monarch's cancer diagnosis.

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