The year 2024 has proven to be a challenging and emotional time for the royal family, marked by the heartbreaking cancer diagnoses of both King Charles and the Princess of Wales.
Such news would have undoubtedly been profoundly upsetting for the late Queen Elizabeth.
“It was a double whammy of bad news affecting two of those closest to her, so it would have upset her terribly had she still been alive,” royal commentator Duncan Larcombe tells OK!.
“But I think she would have been extremely proud of how they’ve both handled things. The Queen always had that ‘keep calm and carry on’ work ethic, and we’ve really seen that continue with the King.
"He has kept going, and you get the impression he’s been doing as much as he physically can. I wonder if his doctors might privately be a bit annoyed that he hasn’t rested as much as he could have.”
Charles’ cancer was discovered less than a year after his coronation, during an unrelated procedure for an enlarged prostate. Chemotherapy treatment followed, which he later revealed caused the loss of his sense of taste.
“The Queen would have been dismayed because her son had really hit the ground running as King. He was enjoying lots of public walkabouts and handshakes, and everything was going well. Then the diagnosis came as a bolt from the blue and completely derailed everything,” says Duncan.
After resuming light duties in late April, King Charles made a prominent appearance at June’s Trooping the Colour, also known as the King’s Birthday Parade.
Despite appearing slightly older and more fatigued than usual, he remained a commanding presence in the full ceremonial uniform of the Irish Guards during his most significant engagement since his diagnosis.
