King Charles & Princess Kates dual cancer battles are a temporary blip
Maybe I’m misreading the general mood, but it feels to me like the Princess of Wales’s video, where she spoke about her cancer and chemotherapy, mollified the casual royal-watchers in every sense. We saw Kate and most people believe that the video is authentic. We also completely understand why Kate needs some time to rest and recover. That was one of my biggest takeaways – Kate won’t be seen for a while (or she’ll only be seen sparsely) and everyone understands that and has compassion for that. Alongside that, my assessment of the general mood is a kind of general ambivalence towards the monarchy. People aren’t super-concerned about the longevity of the institution either way. King Charles and the Princess of Wales will be largely MIA for months and their absences are being met with a shrug. It’s also being met with a very telling briefing storm from Buckingham Palace, all about how this is just a minor blip, everyone will be back to work soon enough.
A double health scare which has left the King and Princess of Wales unable to carry out public duties as they undergo cancer treatment is a “temporary blip” and not a “seismic change” for the monarchy, palace sources have said. The King is said to be “very positive” and his doctors “optimistic”, as aides plan for him to build back to resume his fuller schedule of engagements “towards the summer”.
But, one source told The Telegraph: “It’s a temporary blip, not a seismic change.” They added: “It feels like a short period where there has been understandable concern. But the King is very positive, his doctors are optimistic, and you can see the impact of treatment has not impeded him. What’s pretty incredible is how the business of state has continued. The Queen is fulfilling her duties, the King is undertaking all of his constitutional workload and I think we’ll continue to see royal activity across the board.”
The King has made a conscious effort to be photographed undertaking his key duties, including issuing a rare video from his private audience with the Prime Minister, pictures of him welcoming visiting diplomats, and regular shots of him in the car to and from Buckingham Palace and Clarence House. The Queen will carry out three engagements this week, including representing the King at the annual Royal Maundy service.
Of the King’s future return to public engagements, the palace source said: “We continue to plan for an optimistic outcome, building towards the summer.”
Ailsa Anderson, a former press secretary to Queen Elizabeth II, told GB News: “It’s not a crisis. A crisis is an abdication. Crisis is not knowing the line of succession. This is a bump in the road. It is not a major earthquake in my opinion. You’ve got two senior members of the Royal Family who are ill, who are being treated for cancer. But hopefully this is a blip and going forward they will recuperate and carry on doing the amazing work that they do. I think going forward, let her [the Princess of Wales] have some peace. Let her have some privacy. Let the family have some privacy so she can recuperate. And the palace shouldn’t be providing a running commentary, absolutely. We never did when the late Queen was unwell or Prince Philip. We always say we’re not going to provide a day-to-day commentary on their condition.”
Asked by host Camilla Tominey, also The Telegraph’s associate editor, whether the Royal family is too small, she said: “I think the balance is right at the moment. Obviously, we have two members of the Royal family out of action, but they will come back into the fold again.”
It feels like the public understands that the “working royals” are going to do less and be seen infrequently, but the panic with which the palace is briefing everyone that it’s just a minor blip is causing some concern. After all, Queen Elizabeth’s bone cancer was downgraded in palace briefings as “mobility issues” and “some pain.” It’s not just the clownery from Kensington Palace – there is a palpable sense of panic within the institution and within the royal press that everything has gone t-ts up. Even worse, there are concerns that people won’t actually miss the privacy-obsessed royals, to the point where British people will get used to not seeing them or thinking about them at all.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.
(From L) Britain’s Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, Britain’s Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Britain’s Prince Charles, Prince of Wales and Britain’s Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, speak upon arrival at Westminster Abbey, in London, on March 14, 2022 to attend the Commonwealth Day service ceremony.,Image: 669620709, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: DANIEL LEAL / Avalon 
Britain’s Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall (front) followed by Britain’s Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, arrive to attend the Commonwealth Day service ceremony at Westminster Abbey, in London, on March 14, 2022.,Image: 669620732, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: DANIEL LEAL / Avalon 
Britain’s Prince Charles, Prince of Wales and Britain’s Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall attend the Commonwealth Day service ceremony at Westminster Abbey, in London, on March 14, 2022.,Image: 669620830, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: DANIEL LEAL / Avalon
Prince Charles processes along the Royal gallery with the Duchess of Cornwall and Prince William during the ceremonial state opening of Parliament which The Queen was unable to attend due to her health.,Image: 690017831, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: RICHARD POHLE / Avalon 
Buckingham Palace, London, UK. 5 June 2022. Queen Elizabeth II on the balcony of Buckingham Palace with Prince Charles, Prince William, Prince George of Cambridge and Princess Charlotte of Cambridge at the end of a spectacular Platinum Jubilee Pageant on The Mall,Image: 697322082, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: MALCOLM PARK / Avalon 
The Royal Family receive the crowds and look on at the flypast from the balcony of Buckingham Palace after the Trooping the Colour, the King’s Birthday Parade, London, UK on June 17 2023. Present (L-R) Sir Timothy Laurence, the Princess Royal, (Princess Anne), Prince George, Prince Louis, Princess Charlotte, Princess of Wales, HRH Prince of Wales (Prince William), HM King Charles III, HM Queen Camilla, Duke of Edinburgh (Prince Edward), Duchess of Edinburgh (Sophie), Duke of Kent, Duchess of Gloucester, Duke of Gloucester.,Image: 783948830, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Lee Floyd / Avalon
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Ceremonial welcome for the State Visit to the UK by the South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in London. Featuring: Camilla, Queen Consort, William, Prince of Wales, Catherine, Princess of Wales Where: London, England, United Kingdom When: 22 Nov 2022 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages.com/Cover Images **North America Rights Only** 
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Queen Camilla speaks to guests during the annual Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey in London Featuring: Queen Camilla Where: London, United Kingdom When: 11 Mar 2024 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY** 
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