Simran Joshi
Britain’s King Charles III celebrates his 76th birthday on Thursday, continuing his public duties with resilience despite ongoing cancer treatment. The past year has been marked by health challenges for the royal family, with Charles and his daughter-in-law, Catherine, Princess of Wales, both battling cancer.
Despite what Prince William called a “brutal” year, the king remains committed to his responsibilities, recently resuming foreign trips and hosting multiple events in the UK. His dedication reflects his long standing vow to serve the nation, a pledge he made upon assuming the throne in September 2022.
Sovereign Resilience Amid Health Battles
Though he was undergoing cancer treatment, there was never a swerve away from his public duties by King Charles III. “The problem is to stop him,” according to Queen Camilla, repeatedly saying this, as she points out his commitment.
Last month, while he was still in the midst of his treatment, the king and Queen Camilla also traveled to Australia and Samoa, briefly suspending treatment for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. Sources close to the palace said he returned “renewed” from his 11-day trip, with a plan to resume a “normal” schedule of engagements abroad next year.
Prince William has said that this has been the toughest year for the family. “Honestly, it’s been dreadful. It’s probably been the hardest year in my life,” he said while recently in South Africa. William said he was proud of both his father and his wife, saying, “I’m so proud of my wife, I’m proud of my father, for handling the things that they have done.”
Unity Through Adversity in the Royal Family
This year, the royal family has witnessed a succession of health blows, with King Charles and Princess Catherine both fighting cancer. Charles is 76 years old and is continuing his treatment after prostate surgery. He suffered from an unknown type of cancer.
Princess Catherine finished chemotherapy lately and is gradually reporting back to her royal duties after she took to social media last September where she stated that she had completed the round of treatment, much to her fans’ delight.
Overseas travels are replete with health checks. Charles and Camilla were accompanied by a medic to Australia and Samoa, and on the way back, they spent time at a wellness retreat in Bangalore to “help break” the long trip, said a palace spokesman.
But even with all this, the monarch has promised to continue serving his duties “throughout the remaining time God grants me.”
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