King Charles shares short and sweet health update during Southport visit

King Charles has shared a short but sweet update about his health as he continues his cancer battle.

The 75-year-old monarch revealed his diagnosis in February, soon after he underwent surgery for an enlarged prostate, and kept a low profile in the following months as he received treatment.

It hasn’t been disclosed what cancer Charles has been diagnosed with, but he did reveal that it wasn’t prostate cancer, which is one of the most treatable forms of the disease.

The Palace has also remained mostly silent regarding the King’s treatment journey, however, well-placed sources and political commentators revealed in April that Charles was “responding really well” to his cancer treatment.

Despite the claim, the same month, it was revealed aides were looking over copies of a several-hundred-page plan detailing the King’s official funeral plans, titled “Operation Menai Bridge”.

“The plans have been dusted off and are actively being kept up to date. It’s no more than what you would expect given the King has been diagnosed with cancer.

“But the circulation of them has certainly focused minds,” a former palace staff member with links to the serving courtiers told the Daily Beast.

Now, the King appears to have put any rumours of ill health to rest after he visited Southport earlier this week, where he met with the families affected by the devastating knife attack which left three children dead last month.

Stopping to speak with members of the public, the Express reported a royalist asked the monarch about his health and how he was feeling, with the King replying, “I’m not too bad.”

During the visit, the King was also given multiple gifts, one of which was reportedly for Princess Catherine, who is also undergoing cancer treatment, and her 9-year-old daughter, Princess Charlotte.

The UK news outlet reported the gift was a series of crocheted pink hearts, with a member of the public asking Charles to “give them to Kate and Charlotte”.

He reportedly promised the well-wisher that he would.

It comes after news the monarch will not visit New Zealand during his and Queen Camilla’s Australasian tour in October, as he has been advised to “pace himself”.

The Telegraph reported that Charles was “disappointed” not to visit the country, but noted that he and Prime Minister Christopher Luxon knew the importance of the King’s need to take it easy amid his cancer treatment.

A Palace spokesman said: “In close consultation with the Australian and New Zealand Prime Ministers, and with due regard for the pressures of time and logistics, it has therefore been agreed to limit the visit to Samoa and Australia only.

“Their Majesties send their warmest thanks and good wishes to all parties for their continued support and understanding. "

Charles will visit the Australian Capital Territory and New South Wales before flying to Samoa where he and Camilla will attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) 2024.

This article was first published by NZ Herald and is republished here with permission.