To think King Charles would do more for awareness by saying which cancer he has

[DontLeanOnTheKeyboard]

Why all the secrecy? Everyone knows where the prostate is so is fully aware of the initial investigations - if he is happy to share that very personal info, why not say what cancer? It would surely be more useful for him to say ‘it’s this, I had symptoms but ignored them..’

Same as what the Queen died of and I think Kate’s missed a trick in not making herself more human by sharing a little more around the abdo surgery. Childbirth does all kinds of shit to women’s bodies, it seems a good subject to say ‘happens to us all’

Is there some royal protocol that means they can’t say?

@saraclara I think if he put out public statements then it's not just about him. His royalist subjects who pay for his life willingly would want to know maybe? I'm not one of those people. I am not a fan and hope he isn't having to use the NHS cos he won't like being treated like a normal person. Not that he ever would be. He is not a private figure but a public one by default anyway.

Jesus op, give the man a break. It’s been 5 minutes since he found out. Perhaps during or after treatment he may wish to share more, but for now this is what he is comfortable for people to know.

I agree with this^ I think people need some time to get their heads around any medical diagnosis and some people are generally more open than others. It’s difficult time for him and we should be more understanding and respectful.

Why should she?! Mind your business!

Eh?!
People are entitled to privacy. It's none of anyone's business.

Are they ? How exactly does it help Jo Average with symptoms, who can't get a GP appt, can't get a referral, can't get a scan? What difference does it mean that Charles has cancer? None at all.

Because it's his private medical information and presumably he doesn't want it being shared with the whole world. They might not even know yet!

Plus can you imagine he does disclose it, let's say colon cancer. Then it will be how big is it? What's the 5 year survival? Does he have a colostomy bag? Did he eat too much bacon and on and on.

People will only be satisfied when he publishes his entire PET-CT and chemotherapy regime.

Accept you are being nosy and move on.

I’m not a fan of the royals generally, and Kate in particular I dislike, but I think it’s awful that they can’t have some privacy regarding medical issues.
When a close family member was diagnosed we took some time to get our heads around it. As it happens people asked all kinds of nosey questions, the answers to which may have compromised dignity, so I can totally understand not wanting literally the world to know alL your symptoms.

What on earth is "awareness" exactly?

What more awareness of cancer do you need exactly? It’s not a secret disease. Maybe the awareness should be the horrific waiting times that all other cancer patients have to go through. I wish the King well, I hope he recovers quickly and well but I feel pretty sick that a friend with breast cancer started her treatment the same day as Charles except her diagnosis was in August, not last week.

Life in a gold fish bowl must be dreadful- let him have some privacy

Because as someone said on another thread, the world and their granny would be Googling survival rates and posting it with loads of speculation. He must feel bad enough without feverish quoting of depressing figures.

It's actually the inverse of what happened with George VI, everyone knew he had a lung 'abnormality' but the word 'cancer' was never used and I think a lot of people were shocked when he died.

Totally Agree OP.

Let them share in their own time. They are human. Some humans over share and some don’t. We should respect the fact that they have told us what they can/want. When they are ready or when the time is right on their side - we will know more.

I would never push anyone to disclose more information than they need to if they are not ready. We don’t own the royal family (although I guess our taxes go towards them).

Awareness of cancer in general is a good thing and I think as a woman a reminder that we should be checking in on ourselves because anything can happen is enough to reflect on for now.

Im sure once they announce certain charities will be flooded with more support than the other. I think this is a good reminder that we are all vulnerable no matter our status.

Oh look! The King's personal surgeon is a Mumsnetter.

Obviously he needs to do a frank interview after the treatment's finished to talk movingly about his journey so we can all gush over how inspirational he is and how much awareness he's raising about bladder/bowel/colon/rectal/penile/bollock cancer. Bonus points if he reveals he now has a bag of some description.

LOL!! Yes the life of the King of England whose personal fortune is estimated at £1.8bn, must be dreadful

Give the poor bloke some privacy FFS. Hes already released more information than he needed to

Fine. It's fucking penis cancer. Are you happy now?

Bad enough having to get the end of one's penis chopped off without everyone talking about it- but you lot just couldn't mind your own business, could you?

I can see where you’re coming from because yes, he’s entitled to privacy, but only a couple of weeks ago he told us his prostate was enlarged so it doesn’t really make that much sense why he can’t say what cancer it is. You can’t really get more intimate than the prostate.

Equally though, it’s his body and it’s up to him. I have been wondering if it’s an aggressive form and he doesn’t want speculation. The way Harry rushed to be by his side and the news readers sounded like they were going to burst out crying any second when they were announcing it made me wonder. I suppose it’s not really for any of us to worry about though.

Of course aspects of his life are awful. And this thread demonstrates one of those ways.

I love being anonymous. I love going about my life spontaneously and without anyone knowing or caring who I am. I would be absolutely miserable living his life, and no amount of money would make up for the complete lack of privacy and control over my life.

I am in no way a monarchist. But I have the ability to empathise with another human being, which it seems that many people on here don't.

For the RF to say he has a diagnosis of cancer and will be having treatment for it is actually quite a lot of information for them.

1. the awareness thing wasn’t my idea - it came from him, RTFT.
2. Yes I’m nosy
3. I hope the whole RF just quietly disappears and stops living off the country
4. i think he’s known longer than ‘yesterday’ and bearing in mind he is starting treatment, they probs rushed through the staging etc.
5. mentioning the prostate to me was a complete change, and very open, very open in fact for what a lot of men are embarrassed about, so it just stuck out that he wasn’t as specific with this.

Nothing to do with royal protocol. The royal family are human like us and like us, deserving of privacy. Why should they tell the world of their health issues for nosy people to discuss. Would you?

I made a stipulation when I told people I had lung cancer. It was that they should never cry in front of me.

I know it was difficult for them, it wasn't a joy ride for me either.

Charles has made his own stipulation. He's said he has a cancer diagnosis. If that's as far as he wishes to go, that's his business.

I need to add, for balance, that I'm far from a royalist. I feel as much sorrow for him as I would feel for anyone diagnosed with cancer.