King Charles Suffers Devastating Setback Amid Reports No One Knows ‘How Much Longer’ He Has Left to Live
King Charles‘ illness has made all the conversations happening around him these days come with a sense of urgency. This explains reports that Prince William is stepping up in his responsibilities, as he is next in line to the throne. It also explains the King and Prince Harry being closer to reconciliation than they perhaps ever have. Cancer makes you rethink your priorities.
But now, the King will have to deal with a major setback as he continues to manage his cancer. He’s saying goodbye to a long-time companion, Tyrone, a 19-year-old Windsor Grey horse. The King is known to be a lover of horses and the outdoors, and Tyrone had been with the royal family for 14 years.
Related: Here’s what each royal inherited from Queen Elizabeth
“After 14 years of noble service with the Royal Mews, we are celebrating Tyrone and wishing him a happy retirement,” the palace wrote on X alongside pictures of Tyrone. The message also remarked that Tyrone, who stands at 18 hands, is a “gentle and dependable giant.” The post ends with, “Tyrone will be missed by everyone at the Royal Mews, but it’s wonderful that he’ll be reunited with his father and sister. Thank you, Tyrone!”
The horse spent most of his life with the royal family pulling the royal carriage, including during royal weddings, state visits, and even King Charles’ coronation. His last ceremonial duty took place during French President Emmanuel Macron’s state visit to the United Kingdom.
Now, he gets to retire alongside his father, Storm, who is 26, and his sister, Meg, who is 20. Both horses also served the royal family. They will remain at the Horse Trust sanctuary in Buckinghamshire, England.
This all comes as King Charles’ health has been a matter of discussion lately. Just a few months ago, Prince Harry said in a BBC interview, “There’s no point in continuing to fight anymore. Life is precious. I don’t know how much longer my father has. He won’t speak to me because of this security stuff. But it would be nice to reconcile.”
First steps have now been taken towards that reconciliation, with King Charles and Prince Harry’s senior aides holding a secret meeting. “There’s a long road ahead, but a channel of communication is now open for the first time in years,” said a source.
This makes sense, considering other reports, like the one from News Nation Now, which indicates King Charles’ health is in decline. ”Charles is indeed a sick man, and he does have cancer,” a source told the outlet. “He also refused chemotherapy and decided on a less invasive treatment.”
Further proof that a reconciliation is indeed in the cards is that Prince Harry reportedly invited his family to the next Invictus Games, which will be held in the UK in 2027. That, coupled with reports that the King has factored not only Prince Harry but Meghan Markle and their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, into the heart of his funeral plans, means there’s a good chance the two make up sooner rather than later.
The news also comes as one of the King’s royal residences was forced to close amid intense weather. On Aug. 4, Balmoral Castle released a statement explaining that the estate in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, will be closed due to Storm Floris.
“Balmoral will be closed to the public today Monday, 4th August, due to Storm Floris. Please do not travel to the Estate. We will be issuing refunds for tickets to visit today,” said a statement on Instagram. “Stay safe everyone.”
Hopefully, all bad weather, real and metaphorical, will soon pass.
