Royals
King Charles Opens Up About His Cancer Battle, Treatment Plan for 2026: ‘Good News’
King Charles III is set to open up about his ongoing cancer battle on Friday, December 12 at 3 p.m. ET in a pre-recorded televised appearance, but journalist Dan Wootton shared the royal’s planned statement on his Outspoken Substack early.
“I know from my own experience that a cancer diagnosis can feel overwhelming. Yet I also know that early detection is the key that can transform treatment journeys, giving invaluable time to medical teams — and, to their patients, the precious gift of hope,” the king shares, according to Wootton.
The 77-year-old announced he was diagnosed with cancer in February 2024 but did not share what kind.
However in his address, he notes that nine out of 10 people survive bowel cancer for at least five years if it is diagnosed in the early stages, with that number dramatically reducing for those who wait to get screened.
“I know, too, what a difference it has made in my own case, enabling me to continue leading a full and active life, even while undergoing treatment,” Charles continues. “Indeed, today I am able to share with you the good news that thanks to early diagnosis, effective intervention and adherence to ‘doctors’ orders’, my own schedule of cancer treatment can be reduced in the New Year.”
“This milestone is both a personal blessing and a testimony to the remarkable advances that have been made in cancer care in recent years; testimony that I hope may give encouragement to the 50 percent of us who will be diagnosed with the illness at some point in our lives,” Charles says, urging people to find out whether they are eligible for breast, bowel or cervical cancer screenings.
“A few moments of minor inconvenience are a small price to pay,” he adds, “for the reassurance that comes for most people when they are either told either they don’t need further tests, or, for some, are given the chance to enable early detection, with the life-saving intervention that can follow.”
To learn about cancer screening suggestions in the U.S., visit the American Cancer Society at cancer.org.
