Almost 1 year after his diagnosis, we finally know why King Charles never revealed what type of cancer he has

From the start, Buckingham Palace made it clear that Charles had “a form of cancer.” The ambiguity left room for enough theories. Was it related to his enlarged prostate, which had been making headlines around the same time? The Palace shut that theory down but then offered nothing further. Charles left the world with a giant question mark—until now.

The reasoning behind the mystery is surprisingly altruistic: Charles wanted his battle with cancer to connect with anyone and everyone touched by cancer, rather than narrowing the conversation to one type. A noble aim, no doubt, but whether this approach has worked is another story—after all, ambiguity doesn’t tend to calm the media storm, does it?

The public didn’t take the announcement about Charles’ cancer exactly lightly, particularly following the news about the enlarged prostate. Apparently, this one statement caused such a spike in searches for prostate health information that the NHS website practically buckled under the weight of curiosity when over 16,000 people flooded the site within 24 hours.

Charles is a man who thrives on public duty.

As for the future, Charles has big plans. His treatment is reportedly moving “in a positive direction”. After the Australia and Samoa tour, a Palace official confirmed that they are planning a full royal tour in 2025:

“We’re now working on a pretty normal looking full overseas tour program for next year, which is a high for us to end on, to know that we can be thinking in those – subject to sign off by doctors. It is hard to overstate the joy that he takes from duty and service and being in public and seeing those crowds engaging with communities across the spectrum. That really does lift the spirits. You can see that.”

So, 2025 could be a year that sees Charles traveling to reconnect with Commonwealth nations. The tour would require approval from doctors, but things are looking hopeful. Charles remains determined to keep doing what he loves most: serving the public and waving at people. Plans for a full overseas tour in 2025, pending medical clearance, indicates he’s not letting his diagnosis define him.