Queen Camilla knows that despite his cancer battle, her husband, King Charles III, will keep fulfilling his work commitments — for higher or for worse.
“I feel he loves his work and it keeps him going,” Camilla, 77, told U.K. journalists covering the royal couple’s four-day trip to Italy last week, in line with Hello magazine. “And I feel it’s wonderful, you realize, in the event you’ve been sick and you might be recovering, you’re recovering and now he desires to do increasingly more and more.”
“That’s the issue,” she added of Charles, 76. “That’s what he’s driven by. Helping others.”
The queen’s words were echoed by a senior Buckingham Palace official, who suggested those around Charles have tried to adapt his busy work schedule as he undergoes treatment for an undisclosed variety of cancer. But, the official said, Charles “enjoys” meeting people and was “determined” to make a difference despite his health setbacks.
Charles has continued to perform his state duties and public engagements in recent months, only having one setback in March when he was hospitalized following “temporary unwanted side effects” from his cancer treatment.
“Following scheduled and ongoing medical treatment for cancer this morning, The King experienced temporary unwanted side effects that required a brief period of remark in hospital,” the palace said in a press release on the time. “His Majesty’s afternoon engagements were, subsequently, postponed.”
The king soon returned to Clarence House to recuperate, but additional commitments were also postponed the following day.
“As a precautionary measure, acting on medical advice, tomorrow’s diary program can even be rescheduled,” the palace added. “His Majesty would really like to send his apologies to all those that could also be inconvenienced or disenchanted because of this.”
Charles, who announced his cancer diagnosis in February 2024, recently rescheduled some appointments ahead of his Italy trip so he could rest before the packed travel week. He seemed in good spirits in the course of the visit, and even celebrated his and Camilla’s twentieth wedding anniversary on Wednesday, April 9, with a personal reception on the Vatican.
They received well wishes from Pope Francis, who has also recently been recovering from health issues.
“A special moment for Their Majesties as they privately met His Holiness Pope Francis on the Vatican yesterday,” Buckingham Palace shared via X early Thursday, April 10.
“The King and Queen were deeply touched by The Pope’s kind remarks about their twentieth wedding anniversary and honoured to have the option to share their best wishes to him in person,” the palace’s post continued.
Wednesday’s visit got here amid a decent itinerary for the royals, which also included a state banquet hosted by Italy’s President Sergio Mattarella at Quirinale Palace in Rome.
King Charles III And Queen Camilla Andrew Parsons – Pool/Getty Images
Charles acknowledged his anniversary in a speech thanking the president and other dignitaries in the course of the dinner. “Today marks, as you say, the Queen’s and my twentieth wedding anniversary. On that rating, I need to say it really is excellent of you, Mr. President, to put on this small romantic, candle-lit dinner for 2…,” Charles reportedly quipped.
Camilla also spoke about their long-lasting marriage in a rare personal interview with reporters ahead of President Mattarella’s dinner.
“Twenty years, who could consider it was 20 years? What’s the secret? I don’t know…well…I suppose it’s just form of friendship, really,” Camilla said. “Laughing at the identical things, getting on with life. I suppose doing this,” she added, gesturing to the college where she was meeting young children learning about Paddington Bear, “takes up more often than not.”
Camilla and Charles are likely to be apart as they conquer many royal engagements, with Camilla adding, “We’re all the time getting in different directions, like ships that pass within the night really. We whizz past one another. In truth we now have got a little bit of a catch-up this afternoon.”
Charles and Camilla married on April 9, 2005, in a civil wedding at Windsor Guildhall in Windsor, England. The couple were later joined by Charles’ late parents, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, for a service of prayer at St George’s Chapel and a reception at Windsor Castle.
Before his marriage to Camilla, Charles was married to Princess Diana from 1981 to 1996. The previous couple shared two children, Prince William, 42, and Prince Harry, 40.
Camilla, meanwhile, was married to British Army officer Andrew Parker Bowles from 1973 to 1995. They share two children, Tom Parker Bowles, 50, and Laura Lopes, 47.
