King Charles III took the controls of a state-of-the-art surgical robot during a visit to Guy's Cancer Centre in London, marking the 300th anniversary of Guy's Hospital. The monarch, 77, was given a hands-on demonstration of the fifth-generation Da Vinci Surgical System, which enables surgeons to perform smaller and more precise incisions during bladder surgery.
Precision Surgery Demonstration
After meeting Professor Ben Challacombe, Consultant Urological Surgeon at Guy's, the King sat on a stool and looked through a headset to control robotic arms on an operating table behind him. A model of the internal bladder was displayed with a five-pound note placed inside. Professor Challacombe noted the system's precision, saying, 'As you can see it is so precise that you can zoom in to such an extent you will see things that the human eye cannot see.' The Da Vinci series has been used on 15,000 patients at Guy's over the past 20 years and on two million people worldwide. The new model is in the final stages of approval for NHS use.
The King initially struggled with the controls, remarking, 'I think I'll have to come back after some more training.'
Chemotherapy Village Visit
At the Chemotherapy Village, the King spoke with patients benefiting from treatments developed at the Innovation Hub. Raymond Burgess, 69, from South London, told Charles how chemotherapy had affected his sense of taste, saying, 'All the staff have been fantastic... Just can't taste anything, apart from lemons and limes mostly.' The King, who has experienced similar effects, replied, 'Doesn't help with eating!'
Another patient, who wished to remain anonymous, shared how she continued working during treatment using a cold cap for breast cancer chemotherapy. The monarch responded, 'That's extraordinary. Very brave. I wish you all the best.'
Innovation Hub and AI
Scientists at the Innovation Hub are using advanced data science and artificial intelligence to analyse large datasets, improve diagnosis accuracy, and detect new drug targets. One doctor showed the King how the AI program Pharos organised results in under an hour, a task that previously took a full day. The King, Royal Patron of King's College London, met with senior leadership, academics, and PhD students.
Research Highlights
Professor Sheeba Irshad demonstrated a new immunotherapy treatment for breast cancers resistant to traditional therapies. Professor Anita Grigoriadis explained how AI guides drug discovery using Pharos AI software, which unlocks decades of NHS cancer data. Professor Sheila Singh noted, 'We're making live cell avatars of patient cancers and enabling bespoke therapy development for each patient.'
On leaving, Charles greeted over 150 patients and staff in the lobby, shaking hands and offering well wishes. The visit concluded with the unveiling of a commemorative plaque in the Cancer Centre's entrance lobby.
