King Charles made rare comments about his cancer diagnosis during a surprise visit to York Hospital on Tuesday, stressing the importance of being "able to talk" about the disease. The 77-year-old monarch, who was diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer in 2024, met patients and toured the new Sir Robert Ogden Macmillan Cancer Centre, which is due to officially open in July.
Speaking to Louise Rhodes, a patient with stage four secondary breast cancer, and her mother Diana Ellison, the King said: "It's everywhere," adding: "It's so important to be able to talk." Rhodes, who was involved in the centre's design as a patient representative, told the King that her father had died from cancer in 2024.
The King, who is patron of Macmillan Cancer Support, praised the charity, saying: "They are amazing and I'm delighted to have been patron for a very long time." He also planted a Macmillan rose in the centre's purpose-built garden and heard how the £2.4 million redevelopment will support thousands of people living with cancer in the region each year.
Wearing a light grey pin-striped suit, pink shirt and darker pink tie, the King was mobbed by well-wishers as he made his way through the hospital despite 30°C heat. He shook hands with staff and patients, asking how they were faring in the heat.
The King revealed he was undergoing treatment for cancer in 2024, just weeks after the Princess of Wales announced her own diagnosis. Prince William later described it as the "hardest year" of his life. The King is still receiving treatment but said in a Stand Up To Cancer campaign video in December that it was being reduced, calling the milestone a "personal blessing and testimony to remarkable advances that have been made in cancer care." A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said he has responded "exceptionally well" to treatment, but his condition will be continuously monitored.
