NEED TO KNOW

  • King Charles shared a pre-taped personal message ahead of Channel 4’s Stand Up To Cancer broadcast on Friday, Dec. 12
  • In the message, the monarch opened up about his own diagnosis and revealed that he will be reducing his cancer treatments in the new year
  • Despite his candor about some aspects of his health, the King still hasn’t disclosed what type of cancer he has

King Charles is getting more candid about his cancer treatment, but still keeping one major detail private.

The 77-year-old monarch appeared in a pre-recorded message ahead of Channel 4’s Stand Up To Cancer broadcast on Dec. 12. In his message, he opened up about his own “overwhelming” diagnosis and the importance of early detection.

The King also disclosed a positive update on his health: “Today I am able to share with you the good news that thanks to early diagnosis, effective intervention and adherence to ‘doctors’ orders,’ my own schedule of cancer treatment can be reduced in the New Year.”

“This milestone is both a personal blessing and a testimony to the remarkable advances that have been made in cancer care in recent years; testimony that I hope may give encouragement to the fifty percent of us who will be diagnosed with the illness at some point in our lives,” he continued in the candid message, which was taped at Clarence House several weeks in advance.

King Charles, in his pre-taped video message for Channel 4’s “Stand Up to Cancer” night on Dec. 12.

Tommy Forbes/Bango Studios/Getty 

While a Buckingham Palace spokesperson confirmed that the King’s recovery has reached a notably positive stage, they did not use the word “remission.” The monarch is understood to have been receiving weekly treatment since announcing his cancer diagnosis in February 2024,

Despite his candor with the public about some aspects of his health, the King still has not revealed what type of cancer he is being treated for. Buckingham Palace has said that it’s a deliberate choice on behalf of the monarch and his advisors.

“The advice from cancer experts is that, in his determination to support the whole cancer community, it is preferable that His Majesty does not address his own specific condition but rather speaks to those affected by all forms of the disease,” said a spokesperson.

However, the palace did confirm the previous announcement that, despite the fact that the King’s diagnosis came after he was treated for a “prostate enlargement,” he does not have prostate cancer.

The King used bowel cancer as an example of the importance of early detection, noting the sharp decline in survival rates when the cancer is found later in its progression. He also highlighted a new national Screening Checker tool designed to guide people through eligibility for breast, bowel and cervical cancer screenings.

However, PEOPLE understands that those references to specific cancers is not meant to indicate any personal connection to the King or any member of the royal family. King Charles’s daughter-in-law, Kate Middleton, announced in January 2025 that she was in remission after receiving treatment for an undisclosed cancer.

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During his revealing appearance on Apple TV+’s The Reluctant Traveler with Eugene Levy, Prince William opened up about the shock of both his father and wife being diagnosed with cancer within a few months of each other.

“We’ve been very lucky; we hadn’t had many illnesses in the family for a very long time. My grandparents lived until they were in the high nineties,” Prince William told host Eugene Levy, referring to his late grandparents Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip.

“They were the vision of fitness, and stoicism, and resilience, if you like. So we’ve been very lucky as a family,” he continued. “But I think, when you suddenly realize that the rug, if you were, the metaphorical rug, can be pulled from under your feet quite quick at any point.”

“I’d say ‘23-’24 was the hardest year I’ve ever had,” William admitted.. “You know, life is sent to test us, and being able to overcome that is what makes us who we are.”