2024 has seen both King Charles and the Princess of Wales suffer major health conditions, with the two royals taking a step back from public duties to focus on their respective recoveries.
King Charles confirmed the news that he had been diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer last month, making his diagnosis public "in the hope it may assist public understanding for all those around the world who are affected by cancer".
The Princess of Wales also chose to make her condition public, releasing a video this month confirming that she had been diagnosed with cancer after undergoing major abdominal surgery earlier this year.
“It has been an incredibly tough couple of months for our entire family," the Princess of Wales explained in her video message, telling those affected by cancer around the world, "You are not alone".
King Charles was among the first to praise his daughter-in-law following her brave health announcement, with a spokesperson for the 75-year-old stating that he was "so proud of Catherine for her courage in speaking as she did".
The spokesperson went on to explain that His Majesty has ''remained in the closest contact with his beloved daughter-in-law throughout the past weeks'' and that both he and Queen Camilla ''will continue to offer their love and support to the whole family through this difficult time''.
During their respective treatments, King Charles and the Princess of Wales' hospital stays at the London Clinic crossed over, with the pair said to have kept each other company.
In fact, according to sources, King Charles and Princess Kate are said to be "closer than ever" after their time in hospital together.
“[The Princess of Wales] has always had a close relationship with Charles, but this has brought them so much closer,” a friend of the royal family reported via Vanity Fair. “Charles adores Kate and has so much respect for her and the courage she has shown in all of this. He was fully behind her recording the message. He has been buoyed by the many messages of support he has received, and he knew that Kate would get the same support from the public.”
We will continue to update this story.
-
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle won’t be invited to spend Christmas with the royal family this year -
All of the must-see looks straight from the Governors Awards 2024 red carpetFrom J-Law to Zoe Saldaña, you won't want to miss these
-
Hugh Grant’s surprising comments about his Notting Hill character are going viral
