King Charles III’s health has taken a turn for the worse, leading both the palace and his friends to become worried and concerned. According to Tom Sykes of The Daily Beast, the consensus is that “it’s not good,” but a friend of the King has spoken out to say the monarch is “determined to beat it, and they are throwing everything at it.” The source added that although everyone is trying to remain as optimistic as possible, he is “really very unwell”—even more so than the public knows.
Royal writer Tina Brown recently penned a piece where she discussed how Charles’ upsetting diagnosis also changed the trajectory of Prince William and Kate Middleton’s future, putting the two “in frightening proximity to ascending the throne.”
This news couldn’t come at a worse time for the couple, who were hoping to parent their children out of the public eye for several years before they were inevitably thrust into the spotlight, and are also undergoing their own stressful times with Kate’s recent cancer diagnosis. The prospect of ascending has caused “intense anxiety,” according to the author.
According to Sykes, King Charles III’s funeral plans, dubbed “Operation Menai Bridge” as a code name, are being reviewed more closely these days. Based on claims the Daily Beast has made, another document is circulating with notes on what went successfully at Queen Elizabeth’s funeral in September 2022 and what could have been improved upon. The purpose of the document is to fine-tune the procedure for what happens the next time a monarch passes away.
According to another anonymous source, the funeral plans of the royals are in review continuously and constantly. An ex-staffer mentioned that due to the dire nature of Charles’ health struggles, the plans are being dusted off and reviewed in a different light with more urgency.
The former staffer added, “It’s no more than what you would expect given the king has been diagnosed with cancer. But the circulation of them has certainly focused minds.”
In February, Buckingham Palace announced that the king had cancer, and that the diagnosis occurred after he underwent surgery for a benign prostate enlargement. The Palace did not specify what kind of cancer this was, though it did mention that the 75-year-old royal was attending “regular treatment.” After the announcement, King Charles released a statement thanking everyone for the well-wishes, calling the kind thoughts his “greatest comfort.”
Although the doctors recommended he take a break from public-facing duties, he made an official appearance two months later when attending Easter services.
Appearing at the services, which would have marked his late mother’s birthday, the royal waved to bystanders as he drove alongside Queen Camilla. When his mother passed away after a 70-year reign, Charles ascended the throne, and the coronation service was subsequently held.
