9:29 am today

King Charles shares personal experience with cancer

9:29 am today
King Charles III attends a garden reception in celebration of the day’s ecumenical services, at the Pontifical Beda College in Rome on October 23, 2025 (Photo by POOL / AFP)

King Charles. Photo: -

Britain's King Charles says thanks to early intervention, his cancer treatment can be reduced in the new year.

On Saturday morning NZ time, the King sharing a personal message about his experience with cancer was broadcast on UK television.

The message was part of Stand Up To Cancer 2025, a joint campaign from Cancer Research UK and Channel 4.

"Throughout my cancer journey I've been profoundly moved by what I can only call the community of care that surrounds every cancer patient," King Charles began.

"The specialists, nurses, researchers and volunteers who work tirelessly to save an improve lives. But I've also learned something that troubles me deeply.

"At least 9 million people in our country are not up to date with the cancer screenings available to them. That is at least 9 million opportunities for early diagnosis being missed. Early diagnosis, quite simply, saves lives."

The King said he had heard this message repeatedly during visits to cancer centres across the UK.

"I know, too, what a difference it has made in my own case, enabling me to continue leading a full and active live, even while undergoing treatment.

"Indeed, today I am able to share with you the good news that thanks to early diagnosis, early intervention, and adherence to doctors' orders, my own schedule of cancer treatment can be reduced in the new year.

"This milestone is both a personal blessing and a testimony to the remarkable advances we've made in cancer care in recent years. This is why I'm so encouraged to learn about the new national screening checker that is available online."

The King said the tool would allow people in the UK to check whether they are eligible for screening, help demystify the process, answer their questions and guide them towards taking the "crucial step".

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