Buckingham Palace has issued a statement confirming that King Charles III has been admitted to a London hospital for medical treatment related to an enlarged prostate. The monarch, diagnosed with the condition earlier this month, arrived in London from his Norfolk country estate on January 25 for a planned medical procedure.
In the official announcement on Friday, the palace stated, “The King was this morning admitted to a London hospital for scheduled treatment. His Majesty would like to thank all those who have sent their good wishes over the past week and is delighted to learn that his diagnosis is having a positive impact on public health awareness.”
King Charles III, photographed at the Sandringham Estate on January 7, 2024, is undergoing treatment for an enlarged prostate. The hospital where he is receiving care, The London Clinic in Central London, is also where his daughter-in-law, the Princess of Wales, is currently recuperating from a “planned abdominal surgery” conducted on January 16.
Palace Issues Statement as King Charles is Hospitalized (Credits: CBS News)
Accompanied by Queen Camilla, King Charles spent time with Kate before his own treatment. Kate is expected to be discharged in the coming days, followed by a lengthy recovery period at her home in Windsor.
Both the medical procedures of King Charles and Kate were disclosed on January 17, and the situation took an unexpected turn when the Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson, announced her diagnosis of skin cancer a few days later.
The disclosure of King Charles’s medical condition is a rare occurrence, as the public sharing of a monarch’s health diagnosis is uncommon. The statement from Buckingham Palace clarified that the King’s enlarged prostate is a benign condition, and he will undergo a corrective procedure next week. Public engagements for King Charles will be postponed for a brief period to allow for recuperation.
Commentators speculate that the king may have approved the public release of his diagnosis in the hope of raising awareness for the condition, which is most prevalent in men over the age of 50. Following the announcement, Britain’s National Health Service (NHS) reported a significant increase in traffic to its webpage offering advice on prostate enlargement, with more than 11 times the average number of visitors.
