Charles III diagnosed with cancer
Buckingham Palace announced on Monday that King Charles III has been diagnosed with cancer. No further details were made public. Well-wishes for the 75-year-old's recovery are flowing in from all over the world. Commentators also sympathise.
A kind monarch
The diagnosis will evoke much sympathy, The Sun is convinced:
“Few families are left untouched by cancer - even Royal ones. ... The King is also to be congratulated on yet another brave display of openness about his health. By going public over his prostate treatment, he encouraged many thousands of other men to get their symptoms checked, too. Last night's statement is further proof of the new kind of monarchy he always wanted to create. Sudden health shocks like this can also bring families together. ... Perhaps there will be a silver lining to this unwanted dark cloud.”
Exemplary yet again
The Frankfurter Rundschau sees a real change in the royal family's behaviour:
“In the past, a royal family would have done everything in its power not to let anyone know. But 'in the past' has been a thing of the past since the death of Charles's iron-disciplined mother. Even as crown prince he proved himself to be someone who formulated and defended moral positions in a non-monarchical world. He has made considerable contributions in terms of environmental protection. Now on the throne he remains true to this stance. His illness should be his own private affair, but making it public is courageous and sets a good example.”
King as long as he lives
Rzeczpospolita looks at the potential consequences of the illness for the monarchy:
“Could a serious illness be a reason for suspending his monarchical rights? Absolutely not. Britain has gone through similar systemic crises related to the illness of a monarch and developed scenarios accordingly. The living monarch is appointed by God, and he and no one else can decide whether he continues on the throne. Even if he suffers from a mental illness that impairs his reasoning or causes him to make misjudgments, he will remain king until his death.”
The prognosis is good
King Charles III has the best chances of surviving his cancer, The Independent believes:
“He does not smoke. He eats carefully, largely organic food. ... He is out and about in the open air whenever he can be. ... He displays none of the frailty of George VI, and he must be cheered by the longevity of his parents, the Queen, who reached 96, and Prince Philip, who died a few months shy of his 100th birthday. There is also every evidence that Charles is enjoying being King. Far from seeing himself as a stop-gap monarch, he has come into his own.”