King Charles III visited The London Clinic on Thursday after experiencing temporary side effects from cancer treatment, as per The Sun on March 27. Buckingham Palace confirmed that he returned to Clarence House the same day and postponed engagements scheduled for both Thursday and Friday.
“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.”, a Palace spokesperson said.
According to officials, it wasn’t an emergency and the King went by car, not an ambulance. Sources reportedly described the episode as “a most minor bump in a road” and said his treatment is “very much heading in the right direction.” The Palace added that side effects like these are common.
King Charles III attends a National Day of Mourning ceremony at the Bundestag on November 15, 2020 | Source: Getty Images
Following medical advice, Charles postponed four public events in Birmingham and several diplomatic meetings, including a ceremony to receive credentials from ambassadors of three countries.
The King expressed regret over missing the scheduled engagements. “He very much hopes that 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 spokesperson added.
King Charles III greets well-wishers at Ulster University’s Cancer Research Centre in Belfast, Northern Ireland, on March 20, 2025 | Source: Getty Images
By Thursday evening, the King had reportedly returned to work, reviewing state papers and making official calls from his study at Clarence House. Queen Camilla did not accompany him to the hospital and remained at Clarence House. The Palace gave no further details about her schedule.
Though some adjustments may be made to Charles’s upcoming engagements, the Palace still expects the State Visit to Italy in April to proceed as planned.
The hospital visit came shortly after senior members of the royal family gathered at Westminster Abbey for the annual Commonwealth Day service.
