Queen Camilla’s friends ‘never saw her so worried’ after King Charles's cancer diagnosis

Camilla, who turns 77 today, has had a hard year caring for her husband who was originally hospitalised for corrective surgery to treat an enlarged prostate.

Friends spoke to The Daily Mail about Camilla in celebration of her birthday.

One closes source told the publication: “In private people had never seen her so worried. Forget who they are for a second. Look at it from a human level. Her beloved husband was facing a very serious condition. The battle of his life. It was hugely tough.”

Another friend, discussing how Camilla had opened a cancer care centre right before the diagnosis had been revealed, said: “The public had no idea what she was going through. She was speaking to patients, survivors and even the families of those who had lost their lives to this awful disease in front of the cameras. And she didn’t even blink. That takes serious guts.”

After finding out the King had cancer, Camilla undertook a long-planned engagement opening a Maggie’s cancer care centre in London, while Charles began his course of treatment.

One of the sources added that the Queen was fairly relaxed when she visited him in hospital.

They added: “Concerned, of course, but it was a pretty standard procedure and there was actually quite a bit of laughter at his bedside.”

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As he returned to public duties in April, Camilla revealed the King was “thrilled” to return to royal duties this week and joked that she had been “trying to hold him back” during his cancer treatment.

Doctors said that they were pleased with his progress and on his first royal duty post diagnosis, he visited a Macmillan Cancer Support London treatment centre.

Speaking to Teresa Tideman, chairman of In Kind Direct, a charity founded by King Charles in 1996, the Queen said: "I think he was really thrilled to be out."

Giving insight into how Charles has been feeling the past few months, Camilla added: "I've been trying to hold him back.”

Friends also told the publication that Camilla is "not spending her birthday the way she'd choose”, as she accompanied her husband to the State Opening of Parliament.

A close friend of Camilla's said: “It’s not the tip-top way she would choose to be spending her birthday, but you won’t ever hear a single word of complaint.

“About anything, really. For someone who wasn’t born into the Royal Family, she’s got an extraordinarily strong sense of duty and the temperament to cope.”