King Charles III knows what it’s like to receive a cancer diagnosis from a doctor. When news broke this week that Pope Leo XIV had been diagnosed with the disease, the British monarch reached out with a personal letter.
© Getty ImagesAccording to our sister publication HELLO!, Charles, who was diagnosed with cancer in 2024, wrote privately to the pontiff to send his best wishes during a difficult moment.
The gesture comes as millions of Catholics await updates on the health of the 71-year-old pope. On October 13, Leo underwent a 90-minute operation at Rome’s Gemelli hospital, where surgeons removed the lower lobe of his right lung. Tests then confirmed lung adenocarcinoma.
“An intraoperative histological examination confirmed the diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma, as suspected from the preoperative examinations,” the Holy See said in an official statement.
The pope is expected to remain in the hospital for about a week, and his public appearances have been canceled until October 20.
A royal bond with real history
© Getty ImagesCharles and Leo are hardly strangers. Last October, the King and Queen Camilla had a private meeting with the pope at the Apostolic Palace during their state visit to Vatican City. It was a historic occasion, with Charles becoming the first British monarch to pray publicly with a pope since 1534, when King Henry VIII broke away from the Catholic Church and created his own branch of religion.
It wasn’t the couple’s only papal encounter that year. Months earlier, in April, Charles and Camilla visited the Holy See and met with Pope Francis, shortly before his death.
The King’s own health journey
© Getty ImagesCharles’s diagnosis was made public in February 2024, following a hospital procedure. “During the King’s recent hospital procedure for benign prostate enlargement, a separate issue of concern was noted. Subsequent diagnostic tests have identified a form of cancer,” Buckingham Palace said at the time.
Since then, the news has been largely encouraging, and the King has kept up an active public schedule. In December 2025, it was revealed that his cancer treatment schedule could be reduced in the New Year. “His Majesty has responded exceptionally well to treatment and his doctors are advising that ongoing measures will now move into a precautionary phase. This situation will continue to be monitored and reviewed to protect and prioritize his recovery,” the palace said. Charles himself described the milestone as “a personal blessing.”
Queen Camilla has also spoken about her husband’s progress. “He’s doing extraordinarily well given the circumstances; he’s very touched by all the letters and messages the public have been sending from everywhere; that’s very encouraging,” she said.
© AFP via Getty Images
