King Charles III’s cancer diagnosis could not have come at a worse time for him. It’s no secret Charles was eager to take the throne for decades, but was forced to wait until Queen Elizabeth II died in September 2022 at age 96. Charles finally got his wish when he was crowned in May 2023. However, his coronation wasn’t anywhere near the cause for celebration that his mother’s was.
Elizabeth was 25 when she became queen in 1952, heralding an exciting new era for the royals. In contrast, Charles was 73, making him the oldest monarch ever crowned in British history. Detractors focused on Charles’ advanced age, speculating his health would prevent him from performing royal duties. Charles’ cancer diagnosis has increased their pessimism. “It was pretty obvious that King Charles would pop his clogs soon after his Coronation,” one critic posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. “His bad health has been the worst kept secret ever.”
According to BBC News, Charles is in close contact with William, Prince of Wales, and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex. Harry will reportedly travel from California to visit his ailing dad in the next few days. Meanwhile, William is also dealing with Catherine, Princess of Wales’ health woes. She’s currently recovering at home following an abdominal surgery about which few details have been announced. With all the top brass out of commission, Queen Camilla; Anne, Princess Royal; and Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh are left to pick up the slack.