King Charles and Princess Kate’s Very Different Reactions to Cancer News

The royal family’s current health battles have “forced them to really think about what matters,” with King Charles III and Princess Kate channeling their focuses in two very different directions, Newsweek‘s chief royal correspondent, Jack Royston, told a British news show on Tuesday.

In February, Buckingham Palace announced that the king had been diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer, which was followed a month later by the revelation that his daughter-in-law, Kate, had received a similar diagnosis and was receiving preventative chemotherapy.

It was announced on April 26 that the king’s doctors were “sufficiently pleased” with his progress through treatment and he is ready to resume “a number of public-facing duties.” Charles’ scheduled his first in-person engagement in his new routine at a cancer center on Tuesday to meet with staff and patients alongside Queen Camilla.

Kensington Palace has not provided an official update on Princess Kate’s health since her cancer announcement on March 22, in keeping with their established position of not providing a “running commentary” on her treatment or recovery.

Speaking with Sky News anchor Wilfred Frost on Tuesday, Royston noted that the king and the Prince and Princess of Wales are tackling these health developments in different ways.

“I think it’s probably forced them to really think about what matters,” he said. “And in the case of Prince William and Kate, I think part of what’s mattered has been to really focus on them as a family…that family time, their children, being there, slowing down and looking after themselves.”

“In the king’s case,” he continued. “I mean it’s caused him to focus on wanting to be king. He’s almost done the exact opposite in that faced with such a terrifying diagnosis, I think it’s really reminded him that what he actually wants to do is work.”

Prior to the announcement from Buckingham Palace on Charles’ return to work, his nephew Peter Philips (son of the king’s sister, Princess Anne) told Sky News Australia that his uncle was anxious to get back to his regular working schedule.

“The overriding message,” Philips said. “Would be that he’s obviously very keen to get back to a form of normality and is probably frustrated that recovery is probably taking a little longer than he would want it to.”

On Kate’s part, she herself said she was looking forward to returning to her public duties, but had to take time to focus on her treatment and recovery. In her health announcement in March, she said: “My work has always brought me a deep sense of joy and I look forward to being back when I am able, but for now I must focus on making a full recovery.”

Speaking to Frost, Royston noted that Charles’ eagerness to get back to his public-facing duties as monarch and the unpredictability of what he may be able to do when could make seeing Prince Harry during his upcoming visit to Britain in May a challenge.

Harry is due to fly into Britain from his home in California to attend a 10th-anniversary service for the Invictus Games at St. Paul’s Cathedral on May 8th. The last time the prince saw his father was back in February, shortly after the king’s cancer diagnosis was revealed.

“My feeling is that they will find a way to see each other,” Royston said. “I’m not sure there is necessarily anything in the diary right of this moment, but there is also a week or so left. I think it would be a huge shame if they didn’t make it work.”

Newsweek has approached Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace via email for comment.

James Crawford-Smith is Newsweek‘s royal reporter, based in London. You can find him on X (formerly Twitter) at @jrcrawfordsmith and read his stories on Newsweek‘s The Royals Facebook page.

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