Queen Camilla has revealed the "quite difficult" experience of keeping King Charles's cancer diagnosis secret before it was publicly announced. In a new film between Buckingham Palace and the charity Maggie's, she spoke for the first time about carrying on with royal duties while knowing the diagnosis but keeping it from the public.
Visit to Maggie's centre days before announcement
During a visit to a new Maggie's centre at the Royal Free Hospital in London on January 31, 2024, Camilla described "longing to let it out" but felt the time was not right. At the time, the King was recovering from treatment for an enlarged prostate.
The Queen, who has been President of Maggie's since 2008, said: "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. 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."
King's diagnosis announced five days later
The news of King Charles's cancer diagnosis was announced to the nation by the palace on February 5, five days after the visit. The health of the 77-year-old monarch, who is still receiving cancer treatment, is said to be continuing in a very positive direction, with Charles announcing the "personal blessing" at the end of last year that his schedule of treatment was being reduced.
Maggie's Chief Executive Dame Laura Lee DBE told the Queen: "It was just a week before it became public and the courage that must have taken for you…" Camilla replied: "Well it wasn't… I was just longing to let it out but obviously I couldn't."
Queen's reflections and charity's future
Camilla spoke about talking to visitors at the centre during the engagement: "I was almost questioning them. I didn't want to pry too deeply. But normally when I went in, I was just talking to them, but I don't know, I felt it was much more deep."
The film features people living with cancer who have been supported by the charity. It also captures Her Majesty's visit to the centre in Cheltenham earlier this year where she gave a speech to mark 30 years of Maggie's.
Dame Laura said: "It was a huge privilege to sit in conversation with our President, Her Majesty The Queen, as part of a film to mark 30 years of Maggie's supporting people impacted by cancer, and to hear her speak so powerfully of her own emotions when visiting our Royal Free centre, while knowing about His Majesty's diagnosis, is a huge honour. 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. Everyone at Maggie's is incredibly grateful to have Her Majesty The Queen as our President and this extraordinary film not only helps us mark 30 years of providing transformational cancer support, it also helps us look to the future and our ambition of having 60 centres across the UK."
