Queen Camilla admits it was 'difficult' to keep King's cancer diagnosis a secret
Baku, August 19, AZERTAC
Queen Camilla has spoken for the first time about the pressure of keeping King Charles III's cancer diagnosis secret in the early stages of treatment, BBC reported.
In a video to mark the 30th anniversary of Maggie's cancer charity, the Queen, who is president of the charity, recalls how "difficult" it was to avoid discussing her husband's treatment while on an official engagement with cancer patients and their families.
In January 2024, the Queen opened a new Maggie's cancer support centre at the Royal Free Hospital in London.
She had just found out that the King had cancer and would need treatment but had to hold back from telling anyone as the official announcement had not been made public.
"Nobody could say anything at the time, that was quite difficult.
"I almost said something but, you know, I felt that it wasn't the time to say," the Queen told the chief executive of Maggie's, Dame Laura Lee.
"It was just a week before it became public and the courage that must have taken for you," Dame Laura told the Queen - referring to how personally challenging the hospital visit must have been.
"I was just longing to let it out, but obviously I couldn't," the Queen said.
The King's cancer diagnosis was revealed on 5 February 2024, just days after the Queen's engagement at the Royal Free Hospital.
More than two years later, he is still receiving cancer treatment. Buckingham Palace has reiterated that his health continues to move in a "positive direction".
In the seven-minute film recorded at Clarence House, the Queen says the King's way of coping has always been to push on with official duties. She spoke of helping to look after her "poor husband".
"Nothing stopped him. He just said, 'This is my way. I'm going to cope with it,'" she said.
During the visit, the Queen described feeling aware that she was now sharing the experience of so many families she met.
"I was almost questioning them. I didn't want to pry too deeply. But normally when I went in, I was just talking to them, but I don't know, I felt it was much more deep," the Queen said.
"I looked at everybody who was suffering and all the relations and I think it made me realize even more how important these places were."
The King has never disclosed the type of cancer he has, but has engaged widely with those treating and supporting cancer patients.
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