Queen Camilla has spoken about the difficulty of keeping King Charles’ cancer diagnosis private before his illness was publicly announced in 2024.
The King was diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer with Buckingham Palace confirming his diagnosis in February 2024.
Charles continues to receive treatment, although he said in late 2025 that his early diagnosis and treatment had allowed it to be scaled back.
Camilla has now revealed that keeping the news to herself was particularly difficult when she visited a cancer support centre shortly after her husband’s diagnosis.
“I remember coming to see a Maggie’s just after the king being diagnosed. Nobody could say anything at the time, that was quite difficult,” Camilla told Laura Lee, chief executive of cancer support charity Maggie’s.
“I almost said something but, you know, I felt that it wasn’t the time to say, (I) looked at everybody who was suffering and all the relations, and I think it made me realise even more how important these places were.
“I was just longing to let it out but obviously I couldn’t.”
Camilla was speaking in a video marking Maggie’s 30th anniversary. She also spoke about supporting Charles as he continued with his public duties during treatment.
“Look at my husband, nothing stopped him,” she said. “He just said, this is my way I’m going to cope with it.”
The Queen has been a long-time supporter of Maggie’s, which provides free cancer support to patients and their families.
The charity said the King’s decision to speak publicly about his diagnosis, along with the Princess of Wales sharing her own cancer experience, had encouraged others to talk more openly about the disease.
“The King’s openness about his diagnosis has undoubtedly helped others to be more open themselves and to now hear the Queen’s completely understandable and natural response as a wife, shines a light on why it is so important that family and friends also get the support they need,” Lee said.
Charles and Camilla have continued their public duties throughout his treatment, with the King previously saying that continuing to work has helped him cope with his illness.
Image: Instagram
