(NewsNation) — King Charles III offered a rare personal update on his health Wednesday, nearly a year and a half after Buckingham Palace confirmed his cancer diagnosis.
“I asked him how he was, and he said he was feeling a lot better now and that it was ‘just one of those things,’” a member of the public who is also a cancer survivor told PA News Agency, as reported by Hello! Magazine after the encounter.
Charles still receiving treatment after cancer diagnosis
The brief yet optimistic comment marks a shift from the palace’s previously cautious approach to public updates surrounding the king’s condition. Earlier this year, Charles called cancer diagnosis “daunting and at times frightening.”
In February 2024, the palace announced that the king had been diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer, discovered during treatment for a benign prostate condition a month prior. The 76-year-old monarch was briefly hospitalised back in March for observation due to side effects from treatment. While he continues to receive treatment, the monarch appears to be resuming public duties gradually.
Though present, Charles did not appear on horseback at this year’s “Trooping the Colour,” a parade held annually to celebrate the monarch’s ties to the U.K. armed forces. Instead, he and Queen Consort Camilla opted for a carriage procession for the second year in a row, pointing toward a more gradual recovery underway.
KING’S LYNN, ENGLAND – JULY 23: King Charles III looks on during a visit to the Sandringham Flower Show 2025 at Sandringham House on July 23, 2025 in King’s Lynn, England. (Photo by Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty Images) 
Britain’s King Charles III (R) and Britain’s Queen Camilla (2nd R) meet with well-wishers as they visit the Sandringham Flower Show at Sandringham House, Norfolk on July 23, 2025. (Photo by Chris Radburn / POOL / AFP) (Photo by CHRIS RADBURN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) 
Britain’s King Charles III (R) and Britain’s Queen Camilla (rear R) meet with well wishers as they visit the Sandringham Flower Show at Sandringham House, Norfolk on July 23, 2025. (Photo by Chris Radburn / POOL / AFP) (Photo by CHRIS RADBURN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Health challenges across the royal family
This reassurance comes at a time where the royal family is still recovering from more than one health scare. The Princess of Wales, 43, announced her own cancer diagnosis in March 2024, a mere month after King Charles. Kate revealed she’d undergone six months of preventive chemotherapy in 2024 and is in remission as of January of this year.
Both senior royals have gradually returned to public life. Charles, who reflected in April that his diagnosis helped him see “the very best of humanity,” is expected to attend Balmoral Castle’s “Family Day” in August. Meanwhile, Kate Middleton recently made a cheerful appearance at Wimbledon this month, while also posting a birthday tribute to Prince George on “X,” writing: “Happy 12th Birthday to Prince George! 🎂”