Cast your mind back just a few short years and try to imagine the late Queen Elizabeth, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, giving a televised message regarding her health. It’s impossible. It would never have happened and yet on 12th December King Charles will be doing just that.
Last year His Majesty made his cancer diagnosis public - in itself, an unprecedented moment - and now he will be speaking out about his experience and "recovery journey" in a message that will air at 8pm on Channel 4. It’s part of the broadcaster’s Stand Up To Cancer campaign and it was pre-recorded last month at Clarence House.
This marks a huge turning point for the Royal Family. King Charles and the Princess of Wales have ushered in a new era of openness and the monarch’s message takes this to another level.
A publicly broadcast royal message is usually something reserved for Christmas, big events or to bring the nation together like the Queen’s famous "we will meet again" message during the pandemic. King Charles will be emphasising the importance of cancer screening checks to ensure that the disease is caught at an early stage.
This is something he’s talked about at engagements since his own diagnosis and the Stand Up To Cancer message will be the first update of sorts in some time. His Majesty’s candidness is beyond astonishing - I feel it’s no exaggeration to say it’s historic.
As I mentioned, his mother Queen Elizabeth never spoke out so openly on her health matters, even when the public knew she was receiving treatment. This was the case even when she spent a night in hospital in 2021 and Prince Philip was equally private.
From February-March 2021 he was in hospital and initially, all the palace confirmed was that he was admitted as a "cautionary measure" after feeling "unwell" before later releasing more details. King Charles has been very open with the nation from the start about his cancer journey.
The only detail not released - and this is more than understandable - is what type of cancer he has been receiving treatment for. The same was true for the Princess of Wales, who was also very transparent, sharing messages and videos confirming she had completed chemotherapy and later announcing she was in remission.
These updates and particularly King Charles’s new message signal a momentous change for the Royal Family in how they approach health matters. In being so open, he is raising awareness and encouraging others to be vigilant about their own health.
In February 2024, His Majesty revealed that he had been diagnosed with an undisclosed type of cancer, after a "separate issue of concern was noted" during his hospital procedure for "benign prostate enlargement". After making his prostate treatment public, NHS England reported that an NHS webpage offering advice on prostate enlargement saw more than 11 times the number of visitors.
It would make sense that King Charles talking about his cancer diagnosis might have a significant impact upon people too. This is something that’s very important to him.
"It is equally heartening to hear how sharing my own diagnosis has helped promote public understanding and shine a light on the work of all those organisations which support cancer patients and their families across the UK and wider world," he said in a statement last February. "My lifelong admiration for their tireless care and dedication is all the greater as a result of my own personal experience."
King Charles continues to shine a light on this work every time he speaks about his journey and his unprecedented Stand Up To Cancer message will do so again, reaching so many people watching at home.
A Message From King Charles III will air from 8pm-8:10pm on Channel 4 on 12th December. Stand Up to Cancer airs tonight from 7:30pm on Channel 4. To check if you are eligible for NHS / PHA cancer screening go to www.screeningchecker.co.uk
