King Charles III is in the thoughts and prayers of the British people, according to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
“Obviously, like everyone else, shocked and sad, and just all our thoughts are with him and his family. Thankfully, this has been caught early,” Sunak, 43, said during his Tuesday, February 6, appearance on BBC Radio 5 Live.
Sunak noted that he’s hopeful that the king, 75, will “make a full recovery” after getting “the treatment that he needs.” He added, “That’s what we’re all hoping and praying for, and I’m of course in regular contact with him and will continue to communicate with him as normal.”
The politician continued, “He’ll be in our thoughts and our prayers, many families around the country listening to this will have been touched by the same thing and they know what it means to everyone. So we’ll just be willing him on and hopefully we can get through this as quickly as possible.”
When asked whether his in-person meetings with Charles would carry on, Sunak replied, “I’m in regular contact with him as I always am and that will absolutely continue.”
Buckingham Palace announced on Monday, February 5, that Charles was diagnosed with “a form of cancer” after undergoing a routine prostate procedure late last month. While specifics about his diagnosis were not revealed, royal expert Omid Scobie reported that the monarch is not battling prostate cancer.
Senior members of the royal family have yet to address Charles’ health, but Us Weekly confirmed on Monday that his son Prince Harry planned to travel overseas in the wake of his father’s diagnosis. Harry, 39, was spotted arriving at Heathrow Airport in London on Tuesday. His wife, Meghan Markle, did not accompany him on the visit. (The pair moved to California in 2020 after stepping down as working royals.)
According to the palace, Charles has started “a schedule of regular treatments” and was “advised to postpone public-facing duties” for the time being. “Throughout this period, His Majesty will continue to undertake State business and official paperwork as usual,” read a statement on Monday.
Charles is “grateful to his medical team” and “remains wholly positive about his treatment,” the message continued.
While the king has not spoken further on his diagnosis, fellow world leaders have sent their well-wishes. President Joe Biden told reporters on Monday that he was “concerned” about Charles after hearing the news.
Biden, 81, added in a post shared via X, “Navigating a cancer diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship takes hope and absolute courage. Jill and I join the people of the United Kingdom in praying that His Majesty experiences a swift and full recovery.”
