A New Era of Transparency in Royal Health Begins with King Charles and Kate Middleton's Hospitalizations

Written by Katie Nicholl

In preparation for his upcoming procedure for an enlarged prostate, King Charles instituted protocols preventing Prince Andrew and Prince Harry from performing official royal duties on his behalf while he undergoes treatment.

Charles' procedure is standard and he is expected to return to his official roles within a few weeks. Until then, neither Prince Andrew nor Prince Harry, both Counsellors of State, will be allowed to stand in for the king. Despite the typical role of a counsellor of state to act on behalf of the monarch during his incapacity, Harry and Andrew are not active royals, and are thus not obliged to do so.

Royal expert Dickie Arbiter posits that this is a rational approach. “This is the smartest solution. Only Parliament can strip them of their roles as Counsellors of State. With Parliament currently burdened with tasks, the [royal] household decided that only active royals can cover for the king,” said Arbiter.

Arbiter also reminded that Charles has not been hospitalized since his arm fracture in 1990 and has enjoyed good health throughout these years. “He is in good shape and should recover quickly,” he reiterated.

However, Buckingham Palace does have contingency plans. If Charles' recovery extends beyond the anticipated period, Prince Edward and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, as well as Anne, Princess Royal are ready to step in. As per 2022's royal ascension, Charles included his sister, brother and sister-in-law in the list of counsellors.

It was announced by the Times of London that “the royal household has confirmed that only the active members of the royal family will take on the responsibilities as counsellors of state,” according to a statement read in the Lords on November 21, 2022, by Lord True, the lord privy seal and leader of the Lords.

The current royal family is dealing with an historic absence of three vital members. Kate Middleton is now recuperating from a major operation at a central London hospital and will be incapacitated till after Easter. Prince William has likewise cancelled his forthcoming official roles to support his wife and their three children.

In spite of the above, Queen Camilla continues her duties and will be on official assignments next week. Numerous tasks have been postponed until further notice due to the workload. A potential Rome trip for William and Kate will be postponed, and there is uncertainty over any foreign travel due to the King's health.

King Charles was seen travelling to Sandringham on Friday for the first time since the Buckingham Palace announced his scheduled procedure next week. This information was released just 90 minutes after Kensington Palace's announcement of Kate's surgery and her anticipated hospital stay of two weeks.

The palace expects Charles to resume light duties soon after his procedure, but Kate’s recovery is anticipated to take longer. Arbiter opined, “There's been some criticism regarding William taking time off, but he's simply fulfilling his role as a father and a husband. He’s devoted and supportive. He'll make himself available for any urgent duties.”

Buckingham Palace's choices to publicly disclose the health issues of Charles and Kate - and the details of such announcement - signify a new era of openness regarding royal health.

Arbiter stated, “The King wanted to publicize his condition as men often delay medical check-ups until it’s too late. He’s taking a step forward by being open. His openness about such a private and personal matter is laudable and appreciated by the NHS and cancer charities. This is a commendable modern approach by a modern monarch.”