King Charles Admitted to Hospital for Enlarged Prostate Treatment
By Sean Coughlan, Royal Correspondent
26 January 2024, 09:44 GMT
Updated 1 hour ago
Buckingham Palace has confirmed that King Charles has been admitted to the London Clinic private hospital for treatment for an enlarged prostate. The procedure comes shortly after Catherine, the Princess of Wales, underwent surgery at the same hospital.
Reports indicate that the King visited his daughter-in-law in the hospital on Friday morning, ahead of his own scheduled treatment. Queen Camilla accompanied King Charles to the hospital, and it is expected that he will spend at least one night there.
The King, aged 75, publicly disclosed his health problem as a way of encouraging other men to get their prostates checked. A statement from Buckingham Palace expressed his delight at the positive impact his diagnosis is having on public health awareness and thanked those who had sent their good wishes.
The plan for the corrective procedure was revealed by the palace last week, and the King traveled from Sandringham to London for the operation. According to the NHS, a benign prostate problem is common in older men, with about one in three men over the age of 50 experiencing symptoms of an enlarged prostate.
Despite the medical treatment, there is no need for any constitutional changes for the King’s role as head of state. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has sent his best wishes for a speedy recovery.
It is noteworthy that the King is being treated in the same hospital where his daughter-in-law, Catherine, had surgery last week and where Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, is currently being treated for malignant melanoma, a form of skin cancer.
In historic context, the British royal family has often made health issues public in order to raise awareness and garner public support. King Charles’s decision to disclose his health problem follows a longstanding tradition of the royal family using their personal experiences to educate and inspire others.
The King’s hospitalization once again demonstrates the vulnerability of public figures and the importance of regular health checkups, regardless of one’s social or economic status. We join the nation in sending our best wishes for King Charles’s swift recovery and continued good health.
For more updates on this story and other royal family news, stay tuned.
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