King Charles III reportedly had a “cancer scare” years before he was diagnosed with the disease in February, according to a new book.
In a newly updated edition of “Charles III: New King. New Court. The Inside Story,” out Nov. 7, author Robert Hardman off-handedly mentions that Charles, 75, previously thought he might have cancer while discussing the monarch’s current bout with the serious condition.
“Besides, one former member of the team from [Charles’] Prince of Wales days reveals that the King had actually undergone a cancer scare some years before,” Hardman wrote in a passage of the book, excerpted by the Mail on Sunday.
Before becoming King in 2022 following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, Charles was the Prince of Wales, a title bestowed upon him in 1958, which has since passed to his oldest son, Prince William.
“Given [the King’s] close involvement over the decades, as prince, with several cancer organizations and charities, here was a patient with a deeper understanding of the disease than most.”
Buckingham Palace declined to comment when contacted by The Post. The Palace traditionally does not comment on books about members of the royal family.
King Charles was diagnosed with cancer in February after he underwent a “corrective procedure” for a benign enlarged prostate in January. In a break from tradition, the palace revealed both health updates to the public.
“No previous bulletin on the health of a sovereign had ever been quite so frank,” Hardman wrote. And though Queen Elizabeth rarely gave health updates, among Charles’ staff there was “very little internal debate” about whether he should reveal his cancer diagnosis.
“After the earlier announcement about his prostate, it was actually an easy decision to say, ‘Well, that’s what we do these days,’” a member of the King’s staff reportedly told Hardman.
“We didn’t hang about because we all felt that the country does have a right to know about this — though not in forensic detail.”
Hardman went on to quote the insider as telling him, “When you know the King has got cancer, every cancer sufferer could feel connected to him.”
In a statement released on Feb. 5 announcing the King’s diagnosis, Buckingham Palace said, “His Majesty has chosen to share his diagnosis to prevent speculation and in the hope it may assist public understanding for all those around the world who are affected by cancer.”
Though the palace has not officially commented on what type of cancer the King was diagnosed with, it’s understood that he does not have prostate cancer.
Charles’ first public engagement after his cancer reveal was on Apr. 30, when the sovereign visited a cancer treatment center in London. The visit coincided with the announcement of his patronage of the charity Cancer Research U.K. At the time, the palace said that the King’s cancer treatment was ongoing.
Tom Parker Bowles, the son of Queen Camilla and her first husband, Andrew Parker Bowles, recently remarked that the sovereign is “strong.”
“He is doing what he can,” Parker Bowles, 49, told People. “He’s following the advice of his doctors. Fingers crossed, touch wood.”
