King Charles vows to serve Commonwealth to 'the best of his ability' following cancer diagnosis
King Charles has been "deeply touched" by the support he has received since his cancer diagnosis and vowed to continue to serve in the best way he can
King Charles has been "deeply touched" by the support he has received since his cancer diagnosis.
The 75-year-old monarch was diagnosed with an undisclosed form of the disease after a "separate issue of concern" was detected when he underwent a procedure for an enlarged prostate last month and had to pull out of an appearance at the celebrations for Commonwealth Day in London on Monday (11.03.24) but sent a video message where he spoke of how the 56-member association has been a "constant" in his life and vowed to "serve" as best he can.
He said: "Having recently celebrated my own seventy-fifth birthday, it warms my heart to reflect on the way the Commonwealth has been a constant throughout my own life – a precious source of strength, inspiration, and pride.
"In recent weeks, I have been most deeply touched by your wonderfully kind and thoughtful good wishes for my health and, in return, can only continue to serve you, to the best of my ability, throughout the Commonwealth.
"My belief in our shared endeavours and in the potential of our people remains as sure and strong as it has ever been. I have no doubt that we will continue to support one another across the Commonwealth as, together, we continue this vital journey."
The King added that the UK's alliance with the Commonwealth is proof that "diversity" is one of the "greatest strengths" within the country as he looked ahead to tacking issues such as climate change in the future.
He said: "We recognize today that our diversity is our greatest strength. The Commonwealth represents a third of humanity, from all regions of the world, with all the different experiences, knowledge, and aspirations that this brings.
"Wherever we live, we are united by the many challenges we face – whether it be climate change, the loss of nature, or the social and economic changes that new technologies are bringing. Our diversity means that these challenges affect us all differently and that we experience their impacts in different ways. Their seriousness, however, is common to each one of us."
