King Charles IIIâs health is reportedly in decline, and Prince William might find himself on the throne far sooner than he ever expected.
In the midst of royal insider Tom Sykes claiming he was âhorrified by photographs that have emergedâ of Charles looking frail and underweight, Rob Shuterâs Naughty But Nice Substack has a curious note about William being âquietly preparedâ to take on the notable role. âThe illusion of perfect health is collapsing,â a palace staffer shared.
The palace remains firmly in King Charlesâ corner, not giving away one morsel of his health privacy. But, a second source noted, âYou canât Photoshop frailty. What weâre seeing is the reality behind the crown â a monarch in decline.â That assessment echoes what Sykes pointed out in his Oct. 9 Substack, The Royalist.

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Royal Insider Is âHorrifiedâ by Latest Insight Into King Charlesâs Declining Health

King Charles III smiles as he attend the Countdown to COP30 at the Natural History Museum on October 09, 2025 in London, England. The event, hosted by the Natural History Museum and the UK Government, brings together climate ambassadors from across the world ahead of the COP30 summit in Belem in November.
Chris Jackson/Getty Images.
Itâs impossible to look at these images without seeing how much King Charlesâs health has declined,â he wrote. âThe manâs suit is falling off him. The Palace line tonight is that he would have gone to Brazil âif his schedule allowed.â But the truth, as these astonishing new images attest, is that his illness is taking a heavier toll than the institution will admit.â
In April, Page Six noted that the Prince of Wales was walking side-by-side with other elder statesmen at the funeral of Pope Francis in Rome. âWilliam did extremely well at [the reopening of] Notre Dame, leading the British contingent. And in Rome, he joined Trump and Macron, and Zelensky, so heâs right up there with the big boys, as it were,â royal author Hugo Vickers told the media outlet.
âItâs always the problem â their heir never knows when they are going to become King, but obviously, as Williamâs father is unwell, it focuses on that. But [William is] as prepared as he will be,â Vickers added. âIt looks as though he can cope â which is good because heâll need to when the time comes.â
William was front and center during President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trumpâs recent visit, and it seems like the heir is ready for the spotlight. Behind the scenes, he and Kate Middleton likely knew this was coming because their Forest Lodge move is being described as their âforever home.â Itâs better to settle into the new residence ahead of possible changes in his fatherâs health.
Buckingham Palace has not given any updates on King Charlesâ health, but the recent photos prove that the cancer has taken its toll. Still, the monarch is attending as many royal events as he can, which isnât Prince Williamâs style. If anything should happen to King Charles, it might signal the end of an old-school era because William is ready to lead in a much different way.
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