Queen Camilla Says King Charles ‘Won’t Slow Down’ and ‘Do What He’s Told’ amid Cancer Treatment

Queen Camilla is sharing her thoughts on King Charles’ recovery amid cancer treatment.

Queen Camilla, 76, commented on her husband’s health at the second annual Queen’s Reading Room Literary Festival at Hampton Court Palace on June 8. While speaking to author Lee Child, the Queen said that King Charles, 75, is “doing fine except he won’t slow down and won’t do what he’s told,” The Sun reported.

According to the outlet, the writer behind the Jack Reacher series replied that the King “sounds to me like a typical husband.”

The literary festival was established following the success of the online book club Camilla launched as the Duchess of Cornwall on Instagram in January 2021, taking her key cause of literacy to social media. It became The Queen’s Reading Room charity in February 2023, “on a mission to champion literature in the U.K. and beyond.”

Over the weekend, the Queen appeared at its flagship one-day festival with her son, Tom Parker Bowles, following her return from France with King Charles.

On June 6, King Charles and Queen Camilla stepped out in Normandy to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the D-Day Landings. The royal couple traveled to attend the Ministry of Defence and the Royal British Legion’s event at the beachfront British Normandy Memorial at Ver-sur-Mer, while Prince William represented the British royals at the international commemorative ceremony at Omaha Beach.

The visit was significant as the King’s first international trip since Buckingham Palace announced that he was diagnosed with cancer and began treatment on Feb. 5. The palace outlined that the King had been advised by doctors to postpone public-facing duties after starting treatment, and he continued to undertake state paperwork and host small audiences behind the scenes.

In late March, Princess Anne’s son Peter Phillips said his uncle felt “frustrated” by the amount he was able to do following the diagnosis.

“But he is very pragmatic [and] he understands that there’s a period of time that he really needs to focus on himself,” Peter explained in conversation with Sky News Australia’s The Royal Report.

King Charles resumed forward-facing duties with a visit to University College Hospital Macmillan Cancer Centre in London (which has not been directly involved with his medical care) on April 30, and his wife said the next day that he was “thrilled” to be out and about again.

“I think he was really thrilled to be out. I’ve been trying to hold him back,” Queen Camilla said at a Buckingham Palace reception she hosted to recognize supporters of survivors of sexual assault and mark the relaunch of the Wash Bags project on May 1.

Upon the announcement of the King’s return to work, the palace described his treatment as ongoing, along with a positive sentiment from his doctors.

“His Majesty’s treatment program will continue, but doctors are sufficiently pleased with the progress made so far that The King is now able to resume a number of public-facing duties. Forthcoming engagements will be adapted where necessary to minimize any risks to His Majesty’s continued recovery,” a Buckingham Palace spokesperson said.

On June 6, the monarch delivered a speech in both English and French at the British Normandy Memorial event (where Queen Camilla and Brigitte Macron had an awkward moment while laying wreaths). In his address, the King urged the world to always remember the sacrifices made by troops on D-Day. The campaign served as a crucial turning point in World War II, and the beginning of the liberation of Nazi-occupied northwest Europe.

“Our gratitude is unfailing and our admiration eternal,” he said in part.

The King’s busy itinerary continued on June 10 with a ceremonial presentation of a new flag for the Irish Guards before Trooping the Colour this weekend. The monarch stepped out in his royal role as Colonel in Chief of the Household Division in the run-up to his official birthday parade in London on June 15.

The five regiments of the Foot Guards rotate the presentation of flags at Trooping the Colour each year, and the Irish Guards have the honor this year.

Kate Middleton is the honorary Colonel of the Irish Guards, but she did not lead the Colonel’s Review on June 8 amid her cancer treatment. However, the Princess of Wales, 42, sent a letter expressing her apologies, adding “how proud I am of the entire regiment ahead of the Colonel’s Review and Trooping of the Colour.”

The palace confirmed King Charles will participate in Trooping the Colour in a modified way this year amid his cancer treatment, traveling by carriage with Queen Camilla instead of saddling up on horseback as he’s done in previous years.