King Charles made a candid quip about his health during a visit to Peterhead Port in Aberdeenshire this week. The King was there to learn about upcoming renewable energy projects, but while unveiling a plaque to commemorate his visit, he joked about whether he would be around to see them finished.
He said: "It's fantastic to see such a remarkable effort and teamwork and coordination. Whether I shall still be alive by the time you complete it, I don't know!"
Treatment and Recovery
King Charles has been receiving treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer since being diagnosed in January 2024. In December 2025, he said that an early diagnosis and effective intervention meant his treatment could be scaled back.
The last update on the King's health was in December 2025, when he appeared in a special broadcast during Channel 4's Stand Up To Cancer. He said: "Today I am able to share with you the good news that thanks to early diagnosis, effective intervention and adherence to 'doctors' orders', my own schedule of cancer treatment can be reduced in the new year."
Previous Health Comments
This is not the first time the King has shared insight into his health. In July, at the Sandringham Flower Show, a member of the public said he was "looking good". He responded: "It gets much harder, doesn't it?"
In September 2025, during a visit to Midland Metropolitan University Hospital, he said: "This is the terrible thing, as I am discovering already. The bits don't work so well when you get past 70." He has also admitted that his age is limiting him, noting that his skiing days were "behind him" in February last year. In October 2024, when a young person asked Charles his favourite sport, the King replied: "I can't do much now, too many injuries."
According to Buckingham Palace, the King's recovery had reached a very positive stage and he "responded exceptionally well to treatment", so much so that doctors moved his treatment "into a precautionary phase".
