Queen Camilla wished she could share king's diagnosis during a visit to cancer charity

LONDON (AP) — Britain's Queen Camilla has said she knew about her husband’s cancer diagnosis days before it was publicly announced and found it difficult not to talk about his condition when she visited a cancer center during that period.

King Charles III announced on Feb. 5, 2024, that he was being treated for an undisclosed form of cancer, breaking with the royal family’s tradition of keeping health concerns private . The king’s openness in talking about his diagnosis has been credited with persuading more men to be tested for prostate cancer and other forms of the disease.

The queen said she was “longing” to talk about Charles’ diagnosis when she opened a Maggie’s cancer support center at the Royal Free Hospital in London a week before the announcement but knew she couldn’t. Camilla has been president of Maggie’s, which runs cancer centers at 27 hospitals around the U.K., since 2008.

“Nobody could say anything at that time. That was quite difficult,” Camilla said in a video released Wednesday to mark the charity’s 30th anniversary. “I almost said something but, you know, I felt that it wasn’t the time say.”

Recent updates on the king say his health is moving in a positive direction as he continues to receive cancer treatment.

Camilla’s eight-minute video is based on a conversation between the queen and Maggie’s Chief Executive Laura Lee, who said the number of men who visit the charity’s centers has risen 12% since the king announced his diagnosis.

Maggie’s provides information, counseling and other forms of support to help cancer patients overcome their fears and continue living while undergoing treatment.

Camilla said she better understood the need for such services after Charles’ diagnosis.

“Look at my husband, nothing stopped him,” she said. “He just said, ‘This is my way. I’m going to cope with it.’”