King Charles was admitted to the hospital on Thursday, March 27, after experiencing temporary side effects from his ongoing cancer treatment.
Buckingham Palace confirmed that he underwent a short period of observation before returning to Clarence House. As a precaution, the King has canceled his planned visit to Birmingham on Friday, March 28, to focus on his recovery.
Despite the setback, the 76-year-old monarch is said to be in good spirits at his London residence, continuing to work on state matters. A source described the incident as “a minor bump in the road” in an otherwise positive recovery process.
King Charles visited the London Clinic in the morning, traveling by car and unaccompanied by Queen Camilla. The Palace stated:
“Following scheduled and ongoing medical treatment for cancer this morning, the King experienced temporary side effects that required a short period of observation in hospital. His Majesty’s afternoon engagements were therefore postponed. His Majesty has now returned to Clarence House and, as a precautionary measure, acting on medical advice, tomorrow’s diary programme will also be rescheduled. His Majesty would like to send his apologies to all those who may be inconvenienced or disappointed as a result.”
Diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer in February 2024, the King resumed public engagements in April while continuing weekly treatment. He has maintained a busy schedule, including hosting key political figures such as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, outgoing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and new Canadian PM Mark Carney.
His overseas state visit to Italy from April 7-10, where he is set to become the first British sovereign to address both houses of the Italian parliament, is still expected to proceed as planned.
Sources emphasized that the hospital visit was not a significant development in his health and that no further updates are expected. Any minor changes to his schedule next week will be announced if necessary.
The King was originally scheduled to receive ambassadors at Buckingham Palace on Thursday and had a packed itinerary in Birmingham on Friday, with four engagements lined up. However, following medical advice, these events will be rescheduled.
A Buckingham Palace spokesperson stated:
“His Majesty was due to receive credentials from the ambassadors of three different nations this afternoon. Tomorrow, he was due to undertake four public engagements in Birmingham and is greatly disappointed to be missing them on this occasion. He very much hopes they can be rescheduled in due course and offers his deepest apologies to all those who had worked so hard to make the planned visit possible.”
The King’s medical team continues to monitor his condition, ensuring that his schedule aligns with his recovery.
