The royal family was known for being historically tight-lipped about health issues until King Charles’ cancer diagnosis.
HIGHLIGHTS
King Charles III broke tradition by openly sharing his cancer diagnosis with the public for global understanding.
The late Queen Elizabeth II faced various health issues in her lifetime, from gastroenteritis to mobility concerns.
Princess Margaret’s struggles with mental health were dismissed by the royal family.
The British royal family has been notorious for being secretive about health issues within the household for ages. This history of secrecy loosely dates back to 1867 when British essayist Walter Bagehot stated that the monarchy would only continue to thrive due to the mystery that shrouds it. However, time evolved, and with it came King Charles III, whose reign has a more open-minded structure. On February 5, 2024, Buckingham Palace announced that the King had been diagnosed with a form of cancer.
However, not all royal members adopted his style. Following her abdominal surgery in 2023, Princess Kate disappeared from the public, causing heavy speculation among royal watchers like in past times. Despite the past secretive approach to serious illnesses within the royal family, the king is not the first member to have been diagnosed with cancer or other ailments. This article will delve into the British royal family’s struggle with health issues over the years, including their cancer troubles.
Health Issues The Royal Family Members Struggled With In The Past
Known as the longest-serving British Monarch, the late Queen Elizabeth II was notably of good health for most of her reign. However, she did experience some hospital emergencies and underwent a few surgeries. In 2013, the Queen was hospitalized and treated for what appeared to be bouts of gastroenteritis. Buckingham Palace revealed that she experienced symptoms of the ailment but was said to be in “good spirits.” In October 2021, the late monarch was admitted to King Edward VII Hospital after canceling a planned trip to Northern Ireland. According to spokespeople, the Queen was on bedrest as advised by her doctors.
However, Buckingham Palace continued to fly the Royal Standard, signifying that she was within the residence. This later caused some confusion as the public wondered what exactly happened to her. A few months before her demise in 2022, Queen Elizabeth II drew the public’s concern when she experienced difficulty with mobility and was notably absent at the State Opening of Parliament.
Prince Philip, who was the Duke of Edinburgh and Queen Elizabeth’s lifelong partner, suffered a pre-existing heartcondition months before he passed away at 99 in 2021. In his lifetime, the Duke encountered different health emergencies, including a bladder infection that left him confined to the hospital bed for several days. Due to this, he missed the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations. He also suffered a heart-related emergency in 2011 as he was rushed to the hospital from Sandringham. The prince had reportedly complained about chest pains. On getting to the hospital, Philip was treated for a blocked coronary artery.
The Queen’s younger sister, Princess Margaret, struggled with her mental health throughout her lifetime, and it appeared this was mostly swept under the carpet. According to the royal biographer Andrew Morton, Queen Elizabeth II once dismissed Margaret’s mental health struggles and ruled them as mere tantrums. The Queen’s sister also suffered several strokes and a severe burn to her feet, which impacted her mobility. According to the Washington Post, Morton wrote about the royal family:
“They lived in a world where illness was dealt with by going for a long walk, and mental illness was ignored altogether.”
Amid the coronavirus pandemic, several royal members reportedly came down with the ailment. The effects of the virus ranged from mild to severe among them. The British royal family members who tested positive for coronavirus include:
Prince William
King Charles
Sophie, Countess of Wessex
Charles Spencer (Late Princess Diana’s brother)
Royal Members Diagnosed With Cancer Before King Charles III
King Charles’ cancer diagnosis left many royal members and fans worried, but the Buckingham Palace team assured the public that the monarch was undergoing ample treatment. The King’s willingness to share his health update with the public was in “the hope it may assist public understanding for all those around the world who are affected by cancer.”
This revelation doubled as one of the rare times when a British monarch was open about a serious health issue. In older times, the public was oblivious to the severe health conditions of paramount rulers.
This happened during the time of King George VI, the father of Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Margaret. The King was a heavy smoker during his lifetime, and it resulted in several health issues related to his lungs. The late king’s health issues started in 1948 after bouts of pain in his legs. His health problems were initially ruled out as arteriosclerosis. King George underwent surgery one year later, and this time, doctors noticed a growth in his lung.
King George was operated on a second time, and his left lung was removed. He wasn’t notified of his condition; neither was the public. However, at the time of his death, it was believed that he suffered from lung cancer. The official statement at the time of his death in 1952 read that the king’s cause of death was coronary thrombosis. The late king’s older brother, Edward VIII, who abdicated the throne in 1939, was also a chain smoker who suffered a similar fate. He died in 1972 after a battle with throat cancer.
Sarah, the Duchess of York, who was married to King Charles III’s brother, Prince Andrew, was diagnosed with skin cancer in 2024. Leading up to this, the Duchess battled breast cancer. She was six months cancer-free when the second diagnosis was announced. A spokesperson for the public figure revealed that she was choosing to stay positive through it all.
