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British media reports on King Charles III's cancer.

Photo: James Manning / dpa

The British King Charles III. has cancer. Buckingham Palace announced this on Monday evening. The news sparked compassion and interest around the world - and Charles used it to reiterate the importance of healthcare. He wanted to promote understanding for people affected by cancer, according to the palace's statement. On Instagram alone, Charles' announcement was liked almost 900,000 times and commented on more than 20,000 times. There are also posts on other platforms and reporting on them.

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When members of the Royal Family talk about their own health, it has a huge impact on the UK population. The British National Health Service (NHS) has also noticed this. When Charles made it public at the end of January that he had to undergo surgery to treat an enlarged prostate, hits on the British health service's information site increased by more than 1,000 percent. It is said that the king's diagnosis has prompted thousands of men to have their own health checked. That was intentional: in the course of his first statement, Charles encouraged other men to also have themselves examined.

Cancer diagnosis after routine procedure

Although Charles was able to leave the hospital after just a few days, it has now been revealed that another "concerning problem" was discovered during the procedure. Tests showed that it was a “form of cancer”; The palace has not yet announced which ones and at what stage. However, the prostate is not affected. Charles began treatment immediately and will not take on any public tasks during this time.

Sarah Ferguson announces two cancer diagnoses

Charles is not the only member of the British royal family to share a cancer diagnosis with the public at the start of the new year. Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, announced via Instagram that she had been diagnosed with malignant melanoma. The NHS then saw a similar effect to Charles's: visits to the melanoma skin cancer website increased by 741 per cent. Shortly after Ferguson's announcement, the website was viewed every 13 seconds, recording 13,662 visits within 48 hours - more than eight times as many as in the same period the previous week. It was the second cancer diagnosis within a year for Prince Andrew's ex-wife. Ferguson was diagnosed with breast cancer in the summer.

Catherine, now Princess of Wales, also had to go to hospital at the end of January and undergo abdominal surgery. The palace also announced this, but details of the illness remained secret. In Kate's case, however, it is not supposed to be cancer. In the past, Kate has been more open about her health issues. The world knows that she suffered from Hyperemesis Gravidarum, an extreme form of morning sickness, during all three of her pregnancies. With her openness, Kate ensured that common side effects of early pregnancies were discussed and in the process also revealed what helped her after her first birth: hypnobirthing, i.e. meditation and, as a result, pain-free births under hypnosis.

Working closely with the NHS

The British royals also work closely with the NHS in everyday life. They visit hospitals, get involved in foundations and focus attention on the work of employees in the British healthcare sector. Princess Catherine and Prince William regularly draw attention to the importance of mental health with major projects on Instagram. They support sporting events, midwives and maternity hospitals and published photos of themselves during corona vaccinations and videos of themselves applauding doctors and nurses together with their children during the pandemic. The influence is also visible here: posts like these are liked millions of times.