27/01/2024
27/01/2024
LONDON, Jan 27, (AP): King Charles III is doing well after undergoing a "corrective procedure” for an enlarged prostate, Queen Camilla said Friday as she left the private hospital where he was being treated.
The 75-year-old monarch was admitted to the London Clinic, where the Princess of Wales, his daughter-in-law, is recovering from abdominal surgery, Buckingham Palace said Friday. The king, who entered the hospital with Camilla at his side, visited Kate at the clinic after he arrived.
"He’s doing well, thank you,” Camilla told people inside the hospital. She left the hospital at 3:10 p.m. and appeared to be in good spirits.
Charles, who ascended the throne 16 months ago, was diagnosed with the benign condition on Jan. 17 after he experienced undisclosed symptoms. He canceled engagements and was urged to rest ahead of the procedure. which had concluded by Friday afternoon.
"The King was this morning admitted to a London hospital for scheduled treatment,’’ the palace said. "His Majesty would like to thank all those who have sent their good wishes over the past week.″
The king decided to announce the surgery in advance in an effort to encourage other men to have their prostates checked in line with public health advice.
The palace said the king was "delighted to learn that his diagnosis is having a positive impact on public health awareness.’’
The prostate is a small gland that surrounds the urethra - the tube that carries urine out of the body. An enlarged prostate can put pressure on the urethra and make it more difficult to urinate.
Britain’s National Health Service recommends that men see their doctors if they notice any problems with, or changes in, their usual pattern of urination. Surgery is usually only recommended when a patient experiences moderate to severe symptoms that don’t respond to medicine.
Benign prostate enlargement is common in men over age 50, and normally it isn’t a serious health threat, the NHS says.
"The risk of prostate cancer is no greater for men with an enlarged prostate than it is for men without an enlarged prostate,” the agency says on its website.
News of the king’s treatment came amid a flurry of royal medical news over the past 10 days.
The Princess of Wales’ office at Kensington Palace said the princess underwent planned abdominal surgery on Jan. 16 for an undisclosed condition. 16. The palace didn’t provide further details but said her condition wasn’t cancerous.
The 42-year-old princess, formerly Kate Middleton, is the wife of Prince William, the heir to the throne. She is on day 11 of her hospital stay and is expected to remain in the hospital for up to two weeks, the palace says.