Ailing King Charles to resume duties
King Charles has progressed enough in his cancer treatment that he’ll return to public duties next week for the first time since announcing his diagnosis, Buckingham Palace said Friday.
The news comes just one day after unnamed sources told The Daily Beast that the 75-year-old British monarch was “significantly more unwell than his aides are letting on.”
The King was diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer in early February while being treated for benign prostate enlargement. The palace at the time said it would not provide a “running commentary” about his health, and much speculation has followed surrounding the details of his condition.
Buckingham Palace said Charles will travel with his wife, Queen Camilla (photo), to a cancer treatment center Tuesday, where they’re expected to meet with the patients and medical specialists.
“This visit will be the first in a number of external engagements His Majesty will undertake in the weeks ahead,” the palace revealed, adding that he’ll also host the Emperor and Empress of Japan for a state visit in June.
“His Majesty is greatly encouraged to be resuming some public-facing duties and very grateful to his medical team for their continued care and expertise,” a palace spokesperson told ABC News.
Friday’s update contradicts reports that surfaced Thursday claiming Charles is “really very unwell. More than they are letting on.”
Anonymous sources told The Daily Beast that Buckingham Palace and the British government had begun reviewing hundreds of documents related to the planning of King Charles’ future funeral as his condition allegedly declines.
Plans for “Operation Menai Bridge” — the purported codeword for his death — are being evaluated by the Cabinet Office, according to the sources. However, they noted the review is “no more than what you would expect given the King has been diagnosed with cancer.”
Exactly what form of cancer Charles has remains a mystery, with the palace only emphasizing it’s unrelated to the prostate issue.