King Charles’ cancer was ‘caught early’; Prince Harry flies home

Although sparse on details, the revelation of the king’s cancer diagnosis by Buckingham Palace marks a departure from the past when the monarch’s ailments were often kept hidden from the public. The palace said the king wanted to share his diagnosis “to prevent speculation and in the hope it may assist public understanding for all those around the world who are affected by cancer.”

Within hours of the news breaking Monday, well-wishes started pouring in from across the United Kingdom and beyond.

President Joe Biden wished the king a “swift and full recovery” in a post on X on Monday night.

“Navigating a cancer diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship takes hope and absolute courage,” Biden said.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, who presided over Charles’ coronation just nine months ago, also wished the monarch “God’s comfort and strength in the weeks and months to come” in a message on X on Tuesday morning.

The news comes just over a week after both the king and his elder daughter-in-law, Princess Kate, were discharged from a private London clinic after medical procedures. While Charles underwent a “corrective procedure” for an enlarged prostate, Kate, 42, had planned abdominal surgery for a noncancerous condition.

Charles’ eldest son is now expected to step up to carry out some duties on behalf of his father while the monarch undergoes treatment for cancer. The Prince of Wales is resuming his royal duties this week, his office said, after having to postpone them while his wife was undergoing treatment. 

Meanwhile, British tabloids reported that Harry, the Duke of Sussex, was due to arrive back in the country Tuesday after he was spotted at Los Angeles International Airport.

A source close to the prince and his wife, Meghan, told NBC News on Monday that Harry spoke to his father about the diagnosis.

“He will be traveling to the U.K. to see His Majesty in the coming days,” the source said.

It comes at a time when Harry’s relationship with his father and brother is reported to be strained after he and Meghan stepped back from their roles as senior members of the royal family in 2020, and Harry’s deeply personal disclosures released in his memoir last year.