King Charles Reveals Side Effects of His Cancer Treatment Months after Diagnosis

King Charles III recently shared that his cancer treatment made him lose one of his senses. The revelation came during a notable public engagement to transfer a role to Prince William officially.

On May 13, 2024, King Charles III revealed that he had lost one of his senses. The disclosure came during a conversation with British Army veteran Aaron Mapplebeck at the Army Flying Museum in Middle Wallop, Hampshire.

Aaron, who had chemotherapy for testicular cancer last year, shared his experience with the King. He emphasized the loss of his sense of taste due to treatment. It was during this exchange that King Charles empathized with Aaron. He mentioned he had experienced the same side effect.

This marked the first time the monarch has acknowledged the effects of his treatment since his cancer diagnosis was revealed. Details of King Charles’s cancer type and the nature of his treatment remain undisclosed. Buckingham Palace provided no further information beyond acknowledging the King’s health issue.

The initial announcement of his health condition was made on February 5, 2024. This was done through the official palace website. It stated that during a routine hospital procedure for benign prostate enlargement, a “separate issue of concern” was noted. Findings led to further tests that diagnosed a form of cancer.

Since then, King Charles has been undergoing regular treatment. This made him pause his public-facing duties. However, he continued to perform state business and official paperwork.

Despite the palace’s general silence on the matter, Princess Eugenie recently offered a brief update on the King’s health. She spoke during a charity event for the Elephant Family, a cause close to the royals. When asked about her uncle’s condition, Eugenie reported that King Charles was “doing well.”

After three months of stepping back from public engagements, King Charles resumed his public duties. On April 26, the palace confirmed that His Majesty and Queen Camilla would mark his return to the public eye with a visit to a cancer treatment center.

This visit was particularly significant as it was his first official public engagement since the diagnosis. During their visit, the royal couple met with patients and medical staff. They also shed light on the crucial work in cancer care and treatment.

The palace’s statement also emphasized the King’s health progress and readiness to engage once again in his royal duties. “His Majesty is greatly encouraged to be resuming some public-facing duties and very grateful to his medical team for their continued care and expertise,” the statement read.

His Majesty’s latest engagement happened on May 13, 2024. The event signified the official handing over command of Prince Harry’s former regiment to Prince William.

The King arrived by helicopter and bestowed the prestigious position of Colonel-in-Chief of The Army Air Corps to William. This role was held by the King himself for three decades. Now, it places William at the helm of the Army’s airborne wing. This includes the 662 Squadron, which was formerly served by his brother Prince Harry.

The event was steeped in military tradition. It was marked by the presence of a Guard of Honour and Lieutenant General Sir Nicholas Borton, Colonel Commandant of the Army Air Corps.

During the ceremony, held in front of an Apache attack helicopter, a model co-piloted by Prince Harry during his service in Afghanistan, King Charles expressed his deep sentiment and pride in the regiment’s achievements. He also highlighted his tenure with them.

He remarked, “I do hope you’ll go from strength to strength with the Prince of Wales as your new Colonel-in-Chief. The great thing is he’s a very good pilot indeed. I can’t tell you how proud it has made me to have been involved with you all this time.”

Following the official proceedings, King Charles and William met with veterans and their families, underscoring the personal importance of the Army Air Corps to the royal family.

After King Charles departed, William began his first engagement as Colonel-in-Chief. His schedule was filled with briefings on the unit’s operations and meetings with staff and families, as well as inspections of operational aircraft. William also took the opportunity to fly in an Apache helicopter. This mirrored the service his brother once provided.

Furthermore, Prince William received several personal gifts during his visit. Some included an Army Air Corps scarf and a tartan wrap for his wife, Catherine Middleton. He was also presented with three wooden helicopters for their children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. This symbolized the familial legacy continued in royal service.

While the official transfer just took place, we previously reported about Buckingham Palace’s announcement of William’s new role. Earlier in May, a media outlet reported that King Charles III was set to confer the role of Colonel-in-Chief of the Army Air Corps to his eldest son.

“In August 2023, following His Majesty’s Accession, the King was pleased to announce military appointments including that the Prince of Wales would become Colonel-in-Chief of the Army Air Corps. The role was previously held by His Majesty the King, as Prince of Wales, for 31 years,” discloses the Palace’s message.

News of the King bestowing the title of Colonel-in-Chief of the Army Air Corps to Prince William comes amid the Duke of Sussex’s recent trip to the U.K., which has raised eyebrows in public spheres. Creating further intrigue is the fact that though William is stepping into the role for the first time, the role itself is not new as it used to belong to his younger brother, Harry.

The Duke of Sussex’s affiliation with the Armed Forces runs deep. Aside from previously holding the title, Harry worked in the Armed Forces for ten years, serving two Afghanistan duty tours with the British Army before ending his operational duties in 2015. In addition to Harry, other members of the royal family “have official relationships with many units of the Forces.”

The official website for the King and Queen of England states that the royal family pays soldiers, airmen, and sailors, who serve both at home and abroad, “regular visits.” They have long recognized and supported “the work of the Armed Services.”

Drawing back to William’s new title bestowment, the timing of the news has caused speculation. Public conjecture has been swirling based on the fact that it is widely known that Harry and his father’s relationship has been tense in recent years.

“This is one of the most public rifts in the world. If it was handled in private without so much press speculation, it would have a better chance of being resolved,” asserted royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams while speaking about Prince Harry and King Charles III.

The rift between the father and son runs so deep that even though Harry is currently back in the U.K., a meeting between him and the King of England will not take place. This has sparked heated responses from the public.

“In response to the many inquiries and continued speculation on whether or not The Duke will meet with his father while in the U.K. this week, it unfortunately will not be possible due to His Majesty’s full program,” announced a spokesperson for Harry.

The statement went on to explain, “The Duke of course is understanding of his father’s diary of commitments and various other priorities and hopes to see him soon.” According to a media outlet, King Charles III has a busy schedule because he recently returned to his public royal duties.

Since working behind the scenes amid his cancer diagnosis and treatment, King Charles III held an audience at Buckingham Palace yesterday, where the Prime Minister of Fiji, Sitiveni Rabuka, was welcomed. Further occupying the King’s time is the premiere garden party of the season, which is set to take place at Buckingham Palace today (May 8).

Like his father, Harry is also booked and busy. His time in the UK has been spent on the Invictus Games’ anniversary which kicked off with a panel yesterday. Today, St. Paul’s Cathedral will host a service where Harry is expected to give a reading.

The public reacted with shock and outrage to the news that Harry and King Charles III would not see each other during this time, with many people expressing disappointment in the King. “That’s absolutely unforgivable, that a Dad can’t prioritize his son. King or not!!!” chastised a social media user.

Similarly, someone else expressed, “Harry deserves better. Shame on #KingCharles. He treated #PrincessDiana terrible as well. #TheWholeWorldIsWatching.” “Shameful… but Prince Harry can sleep well at night. He has reached out numerous times,” commented another.

Continuing to highlight the tumultuous nature of the late Princess Diana’s relationship with King Charles III, another user noted, “Charles is who Diana said he was 🙃.” Another King Charles III critic called him “petty.”

A Facebooker wrote, “As a parent I can’t imagine not being able to pencil my child into my schedule.” “I can’t imagine anything more important than getting to spend some time with a child that you really don’t see very often,” added another.

Someone else who felt particularly strongly about the matter stated, “Sadly, his father chooses his position over his family. His father has made it very clear where his love is. If he really wanted to see his son he would and could. This whole situation clearly shows that it is all about him and his ‘control over others.'”

Although King Charles III may not currently have the best relationship with his youngest son, with the recent news of William receiving a new title from him, it would appear as though he remains in good standing with his eldest.

Furthermore, he also reportedly shares a great relationship with his daughter-in-law Princess Catherine. Like William, the King had also conferred a new title on the Princess, which we previously reported on April 24, 2024.

On April 23, King Charles III announced that the Princess of Wales would become the Royal Companion of the Order of the Companions of Honour. This was the first appointment for any royal.

This prestigious appointment places her among an elite group recognized for their significant contributions across various fields, including the arts, sciences, and public service.

The Order of the Companions of Honour was established by King George V in 1917. It is an exclusive society limited to 65 members at any given time. However, additional honorary members from outside the Commonwealth are allowed.

Notable figures among its ranks include Sir Elton John, Sir David Attenborough, Anna Wintour, Dame Maggie Smith, and Dame Judi Dench.

The announcement of Catherine’s new role raised eyebrows. It prompted a flurry of online comments expressing confusion and concern. Thoughts from the online community ranged from skeptical to supportive.

“Definitely a distraction as to what is really happening but okay,” one comment read, hinting at underlying royal dynamics. “But where is she?” asked another, highlighting the Princess’s noticeable absence from public engagements. “A Royal Companion never heard of that role,” a person noted.

“She still hasn’t been seen in public since Dec 25th, and no one seems concerned with this at all?” another person expressed. “I hope she is getting better,” a Facebook user shared. “Ermm what kind of title is that?” questioned another, puzzled over the significance of the new title.

It’s clear that while the honor is significant, it also casts a spotlight on Catherine’s recent low profile. This has stirred public curiosity and concern about her well-being and the circumstances surrounding her new royal duties.