King Charles has opened up about his cancer battle, admitting that news of his diagnosis came as a “shock.”
The monarch, 75, returned to official public duties Tuesday as he and wife Queen Camilla visited a cancer treatment center in London where he met with medical specialists.
During a visit to University College Hospital Macmillan Cancer Center, the King spoke to fellow cancer patients who are currently undergoing chemotherapy.
“It’s always a bit of a shock isn’t it, when they tell you,” Charles said, per the Times of London, of finding out about his diagnosis in February.
Charles was heard telling them that he was feeling “well” and “not too bad” as he continues to receive outpatient treatment.
“I’ve got to have my treatment this afternoon as well,” he was heard saying Tuesday.
While the King didn’t reveal details of his diagnosis or treatment plan, he did chat to other patients about their experience with chemo.
The monarch asked a male patient whether he was using a cold cap — a method that helps to retain hair growth throughout the procedure.
Charles was heard saying that the cold cap method can “help.” He also shook hands with nurses at the facility, telling them, “We really can’t live without you.”
Elsewhere, Queen Camilla was heard sharing her knowledge of her husband’s illness, asking patients if they’ve experienced tiredness.
“For a lot of people the food starts tasting different,” she also added.
Following the King and Queen’s visit, one staffer told the outlet, “We were not expecting it at all. We thought it would be very generic, questions about other people’s treatment.”
“But he was very open with the patients about how he was feeling. There were a lot of conversations about symptoms, and it was clear they understood — they got it,” the nurse added.
The monarch has been forced to hit the brakes on much of his royal agenda to focus on his health.
And while he was “responding really well” to treatment, he has also been left “frustrated” over the current face of the monarchy following the health woes that have plagued the royal family in recent months.
News of Charles’s cancer diagnosis came to light after he underwent a procedure for an enlarged prostate. There, doctors discovered “a separate issue of concern” that requires treatment.
Buckingham Palace later clarified that the cancer was not prostate cancer.
