'King Charles has one invaluable weapon in his arsenal as he faces cancer shock'

05 February 2024 , 22:28

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The King's invaluable weapon is his wife (Image: Getty Images)

King Charles has one invaluable weapon in his arsenal as he faces the undeniable shock of a cancer diagnosis: his wife and soulmate, Camilla. She has the sunniest of temperaments and her default mode is to be upbeat and cheerful.

For a man who has always had a slight tendency to brood on things, that attitude could be one of the most important factors on his road to recovery. Don’t get me wrong: the Queen will of course be shocked and hugely concerned that the man she adores has been beset by a double whammy of health problems.

But her positive attitude to life in general will undoubtedly help the King as he continues his treatment. It’s worth noting that, as she has taken up the royal workload in recent days — with the King, the Prince and Princess of Wales all out of action —she must have had the underlying worry about her husband facing a new scare. It was brave, but she showed no sign of cracking under the pressure.

Camilla "has the sunniest of temperaments and her default mode is to be upbeat and cheerful" (Getty Images)

This is a woman who never really wanted a public role. She just happened to fall in love with a man who has the biggest public role of all. And from being one of the most despised women in the land, Queen Camilla has made a remarkable journey to become widely respected and admired.

She’s showing the same stoic spirit of many a born royal: carrying on with her engagements in the coming weeks even while Charles undergoes his treatment. She knows that this is one of the most important ways that she can support her man — who has waited so long for the top job— and has now had his wings cruelly clipped, at least for the time being.

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I’m sure Camilla will have encouraged the King to break with royal tradition and be open about his diagnosis. She’s a very straightforward person, which is one of the most refreshing things about her. And, when she’s not out on manoeuvres for the firm, she’ll be fussing over him like any other doting wife. For a couple in their mid to late seventies, news like this is a sharp and unwelcome reminder of human mortality.

But they both have a big job to do, with limited years to do it. And so they may well see this as a blessing in disguise. A cancer has been detected, it is being treated and the expectation is that the King will be back to full time duties just as soon as possible.

We should all take our lead from the positive vibes coming from the King, the Queen and the Palace.

Jennie Bond