Queen Camilla says King Charles cancer secrecy was hard

Queen Camilla has said it was difficult not to reveal King Charles III had cancer when she visited a cancer support charity shortly after her husband was diagnosed.

Buckingham Palace announced in February 2024 that Charles had cancer and had begun regular treatment. The palace has not said what kind of cancer he has been treated for.

In a short film made by Buckingham Palace and Maggie's, a cancer support charity of which Camilla is president, the queen recalled visiting one of the charity's centres “just after the King” was diagnosed.

“Nobody could say anything at the time. That was quite difficult,” Camilla told Maggie's chief executive Laura Lee in the filmed conversation at Clarence House in London.

“I almost said something but, you know, I felt that it wasn't the time to say,” she added. “I was just longing to let it out but obviously I couldn't.”

Camilla said the visit made her realise even more how important the charity's centres were for people with cancer and their relatives.

Charles, 77, made a gradual return to public duties within months of starting treatment. Camilla said he had refused to let the diagnosis stop him carrying out public duties, saying: “Nothing stopped him.”

Last December, Charles said in a televised speech that, thanks to early diagnosis, effective intervention and following medical orders, his treatment schedule would be reduced in 2026.