King Charles Is out of the Hospital, but His Extended Stay Caused ‘Unease’ — Report
Although King Charles III has been officially discharged from the hospital, his longer-than-expected stay reportedly prompted some “unease.” The king, 75, left a London, England, hospital after three nights following a “corrective procedure” for an enlarged prostate. Ahead, what Buckingham Palace said about King Charles leaving the hospital. Plus, when to expect public appearances from the king.
King Charles left the hospital on Jan. 29 after enlarged prostate ‘corrective procedure’
The king is no longer recuperating at the London Clinic, a private hospital near Regent’s Park in London. He left the medical facility on Jan. 29, 2024, after spending three nights there, with Queen Camilla by his side as cameras recorded their exit.
“The King was this afternoon discharged from hospital following planned medical treatment and has rescheduled forthcoming public engagements to allow for a period of private recuperation,” Buckingham Palace said in a statement (via ABC News).
“His Majesty would like to thank the medical team and all those involved in supporting his hospital visit,” the palace added. They also noted the king “is grateful for all the kind messages he has received in recent days.”
King Charles’s release coincided with that of his daughter-in-law, Kate Middleton. The Princess of Wales left The London Clinic on the same day following a “planned” abdominal surgery on Jan. 16, 2024, and a subsequent 13-night stay. She’s now at home in Windsor, England, continuing her recovery.
The king’s ‘entirely precautionary’ extra night in the hospital ‘caused some unease’
Plans changed for King Charles during his hospital stay. The leader of the British royal family was expected to stay only for the weekend. However, as a source told The Sun, remaining there longer than two nights signaled a hiccup.
“It is understood that Charles would only stay in [the] hospital for longer than two nights if there was some kind of unexpected issue,” they told the outlet. “The extra stay is entirely precautionary but has nevertheless reportedly caused some unease.”
The source added King Charles is also expected to take more time away from public-facing duties than originally anticipated.
“It’s now expected Charles will have to avoid public jobs for at least a month on medical advice,” they said. However, his work will continue behind palace walls.
“Knowing the king, he will try to keep some private audiences and insist on keeping on top of his paperwork,” the source concluded.
Queen Camilla visited the monarch 2 times during his hospitalization
King Charles wasn’t without visitors while in the hospital. He didn’t have a steady stream of royals visiting. Rather, just one. In a move outside of typical royal protocol, his wife, Queen Camilla, stopped by The London Clinic daily during the king’s stay.
Previously, the queen, 76, said King Charles was “fine” and that he was “looking forward to getting back to work.”
Queen Camilla’s visits to the king came days after his eldest son, Prince William, visited Kate at the hospital during her own recovery.