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King Charles was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 75 and will step back from his royal duties as he undergoes treatment. On February 5, 2024, Buckingham Palace released a statement that the King began "regular treatments" on Monday and "remains wholly positive about his treatment and looks forward to returning to full public duty as soon as possible."
No further details were shared about the type of cancer or its prognosis. This information came just mere days after King Charles was discharged from The London Clinic following a corrective procedure for a benign prostate condition on January 29.
It has been a month filled with health scares for the royal family as Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, was also discharged from The London Clinic on January 29 after being hospitalized for two weeks following an abdominal surgery. Kensington Palace reported that she will abstain from her royal duties till April.
King Charles maintains a largely plant-based diet
According to The Independent, King Charles is known to maintain a healthy, sometimes meat-free diet and adheres to a strict exercise routine. He has lived a healthy life, barring several polo injuries and two COVID-19 infections.
In a list of 70 facts released by Clarence House in 2018 to commemorate the King's 70th birthday, it was stated that the King eats only two meals a day, forgoing lunch as he considers it a "luxury" that interferes with his busy schedule. According to The Daily Meal, he instead opts for a refreshing breakfast filled with locally sourced fresh fruits and seeds, and a hearty supper.
As an environmentalist and an advocate for ethically sourced farming, he also favors a plant-based diet, opting to avoid meat two days a week and going completely vegan for one day a week. A month after King Charles' coronation, Buckingham Palace posted a listing for a live-in vegan chef to prepare meals for the monarch.
Speaking to Delish in May 2023, former royal chefs Darren McGrady and Carolyn Robb emphasized the King's preference for organic produce, saying it was something he focused on "before it was even invented."
"He’ll walk and walk and walk": Queen Camilla on King Charles' ardent walking
As per the Independent, Queen Camilla revealed in 2020 that her husband was an avid walker, and loved going for mile-long walks in fresh air. She described him as “probably the fittest man of his age I know”.
“He’ll walk and walk and walk. He’s like a mountain goat. He leaves everybody miles behind,” she continued.
Alongside his strict diet, King Charles also maintains a rigorous exercise regime. According to The Telegraph, the reigning monarch practices the Royal Canadian Air Force’s five basic exercises, referred to as the 5XB plan, twice a day.
The 11-minute workout routine involves two minutes of stretches, one minute of sit-ups, one minute of back and leg raises, one minute of push-ups, and six minutes of running on the spot while doing 10 eagle jumps every 75 steps.
King Charles' cancer diagnosis came less than a year after his coronation on May 6, 2023, when he became the oldest monarch to take the British throne following Queen Elizabeth's death on September 8, 2022.
