King Charles will “pause” his ongoing cancer treatment during his upcoming royal tour of Australia and Samoa, according to a new report.
On Oct. 6, the Daily Mail reported that the King’s medical team is allowing the sovereign to briefly cease what is thought to be weekly treatment during the long-distance trip, which runs from Friday, Oct. 18 to Saturday, Oct. 26.
“The Mail understands that His Majesty will continue with his ongoing cancer treatment right up until he flies, but that his doctors are happy for it to be briefly stopped while he is away,” the outlet reported.
“The King will then pick up with his treatment cycle as soon as he returns to the U.K.,” said the outlet, which described his treatment as “weekly.”
“All future plans remain subject to doctors’ advice nearer the time, with appropriate adaptations made where necessary to minimize any risks to His Majesty’s continued recovery,” a palace spokesperson said.
In the months since, the sovereign and some of his family members have occasionally spoken about his diagnosis and health. “It’s always a bit of a shock when they tell you,” the King reportedly told a patient at the Macmillan Cancer Centre in April. Meanwhile, Queen Camilla said that her husband was “doing very well” when a well-wisher asked about him during her solo stop at the Royal United Hospital on Sept. 3.
While the British royals would typically visit the Commonwealth country of New Zealand during a long-distance trip to Australia, it had been ruled out due to medical advice. A spokesperson previously explained that “the King’s doctors have advised that such an extended program should be avoided at this time, to prioritize His Majesty’s continued recovery.”