- Written by Sean Coughlan
- Royal correspondent
Buckingham Palace announced that King Charles was admitted to hospital to receive treatment for an enlarged prostate.
The operation is being conducted at the private London Clinic Hospital, where Catherine, Princess of Wales, underwent surgery last week.
It is understood that the king visited his daughter-in-law in hospital on Friday morning, ahead of his scheduled treatment.
The king is expected to spend at least one night in hospital.
Queen Camilla was seen with the King when he arrived at the hospital in Marylebone, central London.
King Charles had gone public with his health problem as a way to send a message to other men to check their prostates.
A statement from Buckingham Palace said the king was “delighted to learn that his diagnosis is having a positive impact on public health awareness.”
He also thanked those who “sent their well wishes.”
The King visited his daughter-in-law Catherine before having her prostate treated
Last week, the Palace revealed a plan for King Charles, 75, to have a “corrective procedure” for an enlarged prostate. On Thursday, he traveled from Sandringham to London to undergo the operation.
Benign prostate disease, which is non-cancerous, is common in older men, according to the NHS.
About one in three men over the age of 50 experience some symptoms of an enlarged prostate, a gland located just below the bladder.
The medical treatment is not significant enough to require any constitutional changes to the king's role as head of state. There will be no need for “state advisors” who can stand by when the king is seriously ill.
A spokeswoman for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he sent his best wishes to the king for a “speedy recovery”.
The king is receiving treatment in the same hospital where his daughter-in-law, Catherine, underwent “abdominal surgery” last week.
The King and Princess of Wales are being treated at a London clinic
When she leaves hospital, she is expected to spend several months recovering at her home in Windsor. This means that the princess will not participate in any official duties until after Easter.
There was a third royal health story this week, when it was revealed that Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, had been diagnosed with malignant melanoma, a type of skin cancer.
This was discovered during her treatment for breast cancer, which was diagnosed last summer.
The Duchess, who was previously married to Prince Andrew, said: “Being diagnosed with cancer again has come as a shock, but I am in good spirits and grateful for the many messages of love and support.”
A spokesman for the Duchess said she would conduct further investigations to ensure the skin cancer was detected in the early stages.
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