The King’s hospital shock
What this means for the monarch's health
Just when he appeared to be doing so well, we were saddened to hear the King was admitted to hospital on Thursday, after what Buckingham Palace described as, “adverse side effects connected to his cancer treatment”.
Charles spent, “a short period of observation” at the London Clinic, where he has been receiving treatment for his undisclosed cancer, then cancelled engagements he had scheduled in Birmingham on Friday. “Following scheduled and ongoing medical treatment for cancer this morning, The King experienced temporary side effects that required a short period of observation in hospital. His Majesty’s afternoon engagements were therefore postponed,” the palace said.
“His Majesty has now returned to Clarence House and as a precautionary measure, acting on medical advice, tomorrow’s diary programme will also be rescheduled. His Majesty would like to send his apologies to all those who may be inconvenienced or disappointed as a result.”
So what does this mean for the King’s health and should we be worried? The good news is, the palace said he is in good form and got straight back to work at Clarence House. Plus the Queen did not accompany him to hospital, as she continued with her engagements, which is a sign it wasn’t that serious. It’s also expected Charles will be well enough to still take the State Visit to Italy shortly.
But certainly, it’s a reminder that he’s still undergoing cancer treatment over a year after his diagnosis, plus aged 76, it is not to be underestimated how much it must take out of him. His work ethic is well-known and he’s determined not to slow down, even if Camilla gets frustrated. On one engagement last year she joked he was getting better, or “would be, if he behaved himself”. And when he was in Northern Ireland recently, Charles told fellow cancer patients, “What’s that Winston Churchill saying? Keep buggering on.”
We wish him well.
Harry’s traumatic split from beloved charity
Just when we thought the Montecito royals were content with a relatively quiet week of endless teasing of Meghan’s As Ever launch (coming anytime soon, you’d think), and that jam-dropping moment in neighbour Gwyneth Paltrow’s kitchen, well, we got that wrong. Because, come Tuesday, Harry dropped his bombshell: he was quitting his beloved Sentebale charity.
Harry said he was “truly heartbroken” about quitting. Alongside Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, he cofounded Sentebale, in 2006 in memory of their mothers, to help children and young people affected by HIV and Aids in southern Africa. In a joint statement, the two princes said they were “devastated” at the “unthinkable” breakdown in relations with Sentable’s chairman, Dr Sophie Chandauka. It culminated in a High Court claim as the board tried to eject her, with the trustees then resigning en masse.
As ever with Harry (and Meghan) the story is not a simple and straightforward one, and the reasons for this seismic decision are complex. In fact, by the time of writing this (late Saturday) the increasingly bitter and toxic war of words involving Chandauka, must be causing him great pain and emotional turmoil.
In short, she has alleged that the “toxicity” of Harry’s brand, and the public airing of a litany of grievances, became the biggest threat to the charity’s future. She also accused Harry of “harassment” and “bullying” among other damaging claims. In an interview with the Financial Times, Chandauka made further damaging accusations that Harry’s reputation had hindered Sentebale’s fundraising efforts. She said: “The No 1 risk for this organisation was the toxicity of its lead patron’s brand.”
She claimed the controversy surrounding Harry since Megxit and the fallout from his memoir Spare and the Netflix documentary, had affected the charity’s ability to diversify its donors and recruit senior people to work for it.
Harry has also been accused of asking Chandauka to act as an “extension of the Sussex PR machine” to support his wife's public reputation. She claimed she refused a request from his team to use her public platform to defend Meghan from negative press coverage.
However this plays out, this is a shocking and emotional time for Harry. He is said to be “reeling” from the loss of Sentebale, leaving a huge void in his life. Along with The Invictus Games, this charity is woven deeply into the fabric of his personal experience, since 2006 he has been helping to save these orphans and children. As many royal commentators say, he increasingly looks to be losing his purpose - now who will save Harry?
Camilla gets behind the camera
Meanwhile, Camilla got on with her busy week, launching The Queen’s Reading Room Medal, championing book-lovers and storytellers in the community. She visited the Dickens Museum which is celebrating its centenary, as well as ITV, marking its 70th birthday. There, she got behind the camera and met the cast and crew of Trigger Point. Camilla looked splendid in a royal blue dress and cape jacket and while at the Dickens museum, took a fancy to one of the author’s diamond rings, quipping she wouldn’t “nick it.”
William’s busy campaign week
Raising awareness of mental health care for farmers saw the Prince of Wales in Somerset this week, meeting Kaleb Cooper, the farmhand star of Clarkson’s Farm. This week also saw William in Aberdeen promoting his Homewards initiative, with another TV fave, Dragon’s Den judge and Diary of a CEO podcast host, Steven Bartlett.
With an Amazon camera crew following, William will appear in a Clarkson’s Farm episode sometime soon. We also found out George is a fan, with William telling Kaleb: “You’ve got George watching now. I said to him: ‘What shall I say if I meet Kaleb?’ He said: ‘Tell Kaleb to mind his language.’” William’s visit coincided with the announcement of his new position as patron of We Are Farming Minds, a Duchy of Cornwall-supported charity helping farmers experiencing isolation and mental heath issues.
Somerset one day, Scotland the next, as the prince launched a new initiative with Homewards advocate Steven. Teaming up with Hays, one of the UK recruitment experts to create employment opportunities. “I’ve seen first-hand the power of meaningful employment for young people, particularly those who are from disadvantaged backgrounds,” said Steven, who is committed to using his platform to showcase what business can do to end homelessness.
Charles and Camilla supporting the press
Hosting 400 guests at Buckingham Palace, Charles looked in fine spirits the day before his unexpected stint at the London Clinic. On Wednesday, the he King and Queen, joined by The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, met with people from news organisations across the UK at the reception.
Celebrating the work of local media at the evening reception, newsreaders, reporters and others involved in regional news spoke to Their Majesties about the crucial role local journalism plays in building trust and fostering community cohesion. “I have long believed that regional media, in all its forms, has a unique and vital role to play in society, perhaps even more so in these uncertain times,” said Charles, read the rest of his speech here.
Read more from The Royal List writers
Finally, we - Kerry and Maria - love researching and writing royal features for top-selling brands, which is why we are thrilled to have several articles - and the cover story - in yet another cracking issue of Woman’s Weekly ROYALS. It’s been on sale for a few weeks in all good UK supermarkets and newsagents. And, huzzah, there’s more to come in April!