Exactly 72 years ago yesterday, King George VI died in his sleep at Sandringham of lung cancer.
The monarch himself had not even been told about his foreboding diagnosis before he passed away on February 6, 1952, let alone the wider public.
In those days, the ‘C’ word was routinely kept secret from patients, given that it often meant an unavoidable, imminent and painful death.
But today’s medical environment couldn’t be more different. King Charles’s refreshing openness about having a form of cancer contrasts starkly with how things were done in the time of his paternal grandfather.
While news of His Majesty’s condition is a shock, it is not completely surprising. He is 75, and around half of us will develop cancer in our lifetimes. Few families are left untouched by it – even Royal ones.
Of course, complacency should be avoided. But with giant strides forward in diagnosis and treatment in recent years, survival rates are better than ever.
By all accounts, the King’s condition was detected early – the key to beating it or minimising the risk of it spreading.
King Charles’s refreshing openness about having a form of cancer contrasts starkly with how things were done in the time of his paternal grandfather
While news of His Majesty’s condition is a shock, it is not completely surprising
By all accounts, the King’s condition was detected early – the key to beating it or minimising the risk of it spreading
As with his recent surgery for an enlarged prostate, Charles is performing an important service by publicising his illness. In doing so, he will encourage millions to be vigilant about their own health, to get checked if something seems wrong and to reassure sufferers they are not alone.
Despite cancelling all public engagements for now, the monarch will still read his ‘red boxes’ of paperwork and hold key meetings with the Prime Minister and others.
This is testament to his determination to carrying on serving the nation.
But the King should not worry about taking time off. With tireless good humour, Queen Camilla, Princess Anne and others are taking up the royal slack, doing what they do so impressively: Keeping calm and carrying on. Inevitably, the Left has sneered that Charles has expensive private healthcare, but after the tribulations he has endured in recent years, few will appreciate their poisonous barbs.
While a cancer diagnosis can be devastating, good can often come from such a shock. For instance, it can draw estranged relatives together.
Amid the royal rift, Prince Harry dashed back to Britain to see his father. Perhaps this can be the moment the frayed fibres of the Windsor family start to be repaired.
Threat to gay children
If more evidence were needed as to why the Government should halt plans to ban trans conversion therapy – which threatens to criminalise parents who question their child’s desire to change gender – it has been provided by Kemi Badenoch.
The Equalities Minister has warned that an ‘epidemic’ of gay and bisexual youngsters – many not yet old enough to vote – are being convinced they are transgender and given irreversible medical treatments.
Now she has compiled a dossier of studies that show the vast majority are confused about or ashamed of their homosexuality.
Trans activists who encourage vulnerable teenagers to take sex-change drugs or have mutilating surgery before they have a chance to accept their sexuality are as good as committing child abuse.
Such extremist ideologies are a threat to gay children. Ms Badenoch should be praised for doing all she can to stop them.
Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves claims the party would observe strict fiscal rules
Like the wind, Labour’s plan to splurge £28 billion a year on green energy schemes changes by the day.
Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves claims the party would observe strict fiscal rules. Sir Keir Starmer says the money is ‘desperately needed’ for environmental investment.
Such enormous eco-subsidies could only be funded by higher taxes or higher borrowing.
Which is it? Labour’s green extremism risks leaving the country in the dark. Just like voters are over its energy plans.
