Former senior royal gardener Jack Stokes has told GB News that King Charles is "done grieving" his cancer diagnosis and is now ready to openly discuss his experience.
This comes as King Charles issued a personal message to fellow cancer patients, acknowledging the "daunting and at times frightening experience" for those diagnosed and their loved ones.
"But as one among those statistics myself, I can vouch for the fact that it can also be an experience that brings into sharp focus the very best of humanity," the King wrote in his statement.
The monarch expressed gratitude for cancer charities and highlighted the compassion that emerges during challenging times.
King Charles is "done grieving" his diagnosis
GETTY
Speaking to GB News, former senior royal gardener Jack Stokes said: "This is amazing to see. I think it has also helped the country warm to him a lot more than they initially did when he was first diagnosed.
"He came straight out and publicly told everyone what was happening, and that he needed to take time off from his royal duties.
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"Obviously, we then saw that the Princess of Wales tried a different approach; she wanted to keep it private, but that seemed to go a bit awry at the time.
"Since then, she also came out and discussed it very openly. Now, they’ve had time for their own personal space.
"They’ve had time to grieve what’s happening within the family. They’re now discussing it openly, and they’re using the Royal Family platform to help people and raise awareness for these charities doing amazing work in the fight against cancer in the United Kingdom."
He added: "I think the significance is exactly what we’ve spoken about: with him now having personally experienced cancer, it’s very meaningful for him.
"He knows people who have had cancer, who have suffered, and he’s lost friends and family to it. We can all appreciate that and recognise it within our own circles.
"This has really taken it to his heart. He’s a great supporter of many charities in the UK. He’s done fantastic work for these charities.
"I’ve said it before, and he’s just constantly working to ensure his charities are raising funds to help support all the causes they focus on, whether it’s helping children, getting people into jobs, or the King’s Foundation. There are so many other charities."
"But I think having had this year of awful cancer diagnosis, and now living with cancer, is significant. We’ve been told that the Princess of Wales is in remission, but he is still currently living with cancer and undergoing treatment. So, he’s seeing this on a weekly basis."
Former senior royal gardener Jack Stokes said it is "amazing" to see the King's letter
GB News
The King and Queen Camilla hosted a reception at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday night for organisations supporting individuals with cancer.
During the event, King Charles shared his heartfelt message with guests from various cancer charities.
This reception comes during what has been described as a "brutal" year for the royal family, with both Charles and the Princess of Wales receiving cancer diagnoses.
