‘It was astonishing’: Queen Camilla revealed to have kept heavy Royal Family secret from the public
Queen Camilla maintained her composure at a U.K. health center public appearance last year, like only a member of the British Royal Family can, aware that her husband, King Charles III, would soon make a personal health announcement of his own, a royal aide has told Newsweek.
Camilla’s engagement at a new Maggie’s cancer support center at London’s Royal Free Hospital in late January last year came at a difficult time for the British royals: Princess Kate Middleton was recovering from abdominal surgery and had not been seen in public for weeks, leading to rampant speculation about where she was.
At the same time, Prince William, Middleton’s husband, had stepped away from royal engagements to help his wife recover. According to conspiracy theories, however, something happened to Kate, and William was responsible.
As for Charles, he too, had recently had prostate surgery when Camilla, 77, was at the Maggie’s event, which must have been on Camilla’s mind when she helped christen the support center, just as the queen surely knew what would soon follow, only about a week after her appearance.
Camilla stayed mum on Charles’ cancer diagnosis
Queen Camilla meets volunteers and visitors during her visit to Maggie's new cancer support center. pic.twitter.com/Etaolv7vG6
— no context queen camilla (@nocontxtcamilla) January 31, 2024
On Feb. 6, the king announced an undisclosed cancer diagnosis, unrelated to his prostate procedure. After that, in March, Middleton announced she, too, would undergo cancer treatment, explaining her absence from royal duties.
But while all that must have been on her mind at the Maggie’s center event, that stress never showed on Camilla’s face. The royal aide said she never complained, managing to “Keep Calm and Carry On,” as the British do.
The aide told Newsweek, “She had to undertake public duties knowing that the king had been diagnosed with cancer, including a visit to a Maggie’s center in London, and yet not be able to show the slightest flicker of vulnerability when she went there knowing what she knew privately.”
The aide added, “It was astonishing how she balanced both of those roles alongside her own private anxieties, in particular during the first period of about a week or 10 days.”
A Royal Family cancer update
Breaking News: Catherine, Princess of Wales, said that her cancer was in remission and that she remained “focused on recovery.” https://t.co/9MV5ekZjI1
— The New York Times (@nytimes) January 14, 2025
More than a year later, Charles, 76, has still not announced what form of cancer he has, but late last year, a Buckingham Palace source told NBC News his cancer treatment was “moving in a positive direction,” and would continue into 2025.
Still, Charles resumed his royal duties in April despite the health setback, and only about a month after he announced his cancer diagnosis. As for Middleton, she announced her cancer is in remission early this year.
Camilla took time off in November
This evening The King, The Prince and Princess of Wales, and other members of the Royal Family, attended the Festival of Remembrance at the @RoyalAlbertHall. Organised by @PoppyLegion, the Festival is an annual commemorative concert which honours all those who have lost their… pic.twitter.com/7kobYtnKNc
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) November 9, 2024
While Camilla kept the royal boat afloat while her family dealt with personal health struggles, she is, after all, only human, which caught up with her in November last year when she missed a Remembrance Day event in London because of a chest infection.
“Following doctors’ guidance to ensure a full recovery from a seasonal chest infection, and to protect others from any potential risk, Her Majesty will not attend this weekend’s Remembrance events,” a Buckingham Palace statement said of her absence.
“While this is a source of great disappointment to The Queen, she will mark the occasion privately at home and hopes to return to public duties early next week,” the statement added — sounds to us like she earned the time off.
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