Queen Camilla says keeping King's cancer diagnosis secret was 'quite difficult'

Queen Camilla has spoken for the first time about the difficulty of keeping King Charles III's cancer diagnosis secret during the early stages of his treatment.

In a video released Wednesday to mark the 30th anniversary of Maggie's cancer charity, of which Camilla is president, the Queen recalled the pressure she faced while maintaining confidentiality about her husband's condition.

On January 31, 2024, Camilla opened a new Maggie's cancer support centre at the Royal Free Hospital in London. She had recently learned that King Charles had been diagnosed with cancer and would require treatment, but the official announcement had not yet been made public. The diagnosis was formally disclosed by Buckingham Palace on February 5, 2024—five days after her visit to the centre.

During her engagement at the cancer support centre, Camilla spoke with cancer patients and their families while unable to discuss her husband's own diagnosis. "Nobody could say anything at the time, that was quite difficult," she said in the video. "I almost said something but, you know, I felt that it wasn't the time to say."

In another account of the same period, Camilla described herself as "longing to let it out" during the official visit, reflecting the emotional strain of maintaining the secret while surrounded by people affected by cancer.

Buckingham Palace announced in February 2024 that King Charles was undergoing treatment for cancer, though the specific type of cancer and details of his treatment have remained private. The palace statement at the time said the King had been advised by doctors to postpone public-facing duties while continuing to undertake state business and official paperwork.

The King chose to make his diagnosis public to prevent speculation and to assist public understanding for those affected by cancer worldwide, according to the palace announcement.

In July 2025, Charles reported that his health had improved significantly during a candid conversation with a cancer survivor. In December 2025, he said that an early diagnosis and effective intervention meant his treatment could be scaled back, though he continued to receive ongoing care.