A hectic schedule awaits King Charles in 2025,starting with a solo trip to Poland tomorrow for the 80th anniversary of Auschwitz.
He will then be progressing to an Italian visit months later, where he’ll have an audience with the Pope. His royal responsibilities, alongside numerous appearances across the UK, ensure a bustling year ahead.
Contrastingly, this time last year presented health concerns, with a hospital visit for a benign, enlarged prostate treatment coming to light shortly after news that Charles had abdominal surgery.
A further blow came with the palace revealing the King’s cancer diagnosis, specifying a different form of the disease, not related to the prostate. Despite taking a brief step back for treatment, the tenacious monarch returned to his duties rapidly, completing an extensive tour of Australia and Samoa last autumn.
As he continues his cancer treatments amidst a new flurry of commitments, royal commentator Jennie Bond sees parallels between his resilience and the adaptability displayed by Kate, his daughter-in-law.
Speaking to the Mirror, the ex-BBC Royal correspondent noted: “A full year of treatment must certainly have taken its toll, but he’s shown that he is absolutely determined to get back to working as normally as possible.”
Jennie continued, “Like Catherine, the King is undoubtedly having to get used to a ‘new normal’. His doctors will continue to keep an extremely close eye on him and will do their best to warn him if he is taking on too much. Understandably, though, Charles is a man in a hurry. Cancer has changed the way he thought his reign would begin, and it will be hard to shake off the anxiety that living with cancer must bring.”
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One person who has been a constant support for the King has undoubtedly been his wife Queen Camilla. She has been at his side during his Australia tour and will be with him during his trip to Italy in the spring.
Jennie believes it is the Queen who has given Charles a “new perspective”. She added: “Since marrying Camilla I think Charles has had a new perspective on life: one in which the glass tends to be half full rather than half empty.”
She added, “And, cancer or not, I think that’s how he’ll approach the rest of his reign: full of optimism that he can achieve some of his goals and make a lasting impression in the role he waited so long to assume.”
Courtiers have said the King’s treatment “continues to move in the right direction” but changes to his schedule may be necessary if circumstances were to change.
A source said: “The Australia and Samoa tour lifted his spirits, his mood and his recovery as did celebrations with his closest family over the Christmas period.”
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