Buckingham Palace Just Responded to Reports King Charles Is Dead a Month After His Cancer Diagnosis

Who is King Charles’ successor?

Prince William, King Charles’ eldest son, is first in line for the throne. Kensington Palace announced that Kate Middleton had a “planned abdominal surgery” at The London Clinic on January 16, 2024. “The surgery was successful, and it is expected that she will remain in hospital for ten to fourteen days, before returning home to continue her recovery,” the statement said. “Based on the current medical advice, she is unlikely to return to public duties until after Easter.”

Royal journalist Elizabeth Holmes told the New York Times how the health of the two family members would impact his duties. “With the Princess of Wales undergoing abdominal surgery and being out of the public eye, I think the spotlight will surely fall to Prince William,” she said.

“The Prince of Wales is currently taking time to support his wife, the Princess of Wales, as she recovers from abdominal surgery at home in Windsor,” Lee Thompson, William and Catherine’s communications secretary, also told the New York Times. “Although the prince has been working privately, he will commence public duties tomorrow.”

Is King Charles dead?

King Charles is not dead. Russian media falsely reported that King Charles passed away on March 18, 2024. “The following announcement is made by royal communications. The King passed away unexpectedly yesterday afternoon,” the statement said via The New York Post.

Buckingham Palace made a statement to the Russian state-run TASS news agency denying the report. “We are happy to confirm that The King is continuing with official and private business,” it read.

Is King Charles stepping down?

Is King Charles stepping down? So far, the answer is no. While the monarch is taking a break from public facing duties throughout his treatment, the palace has since confirmed that he will continue to carry out his duties as head of state, including any paperwork and private meetings with officials.

Royal experts largely agree that the monarch will not abdicate the throne. Carolyn Harris, a royal history instructor at the University of Toronto School of Continuing Education, told USA Today that if an abdication were ever to occur, it would only be under extreme circumstances. “In Britain, you don’t see peaceful abdications,” she told the publication on February 8, 2024. Harris believes the king would have to be extremely ill before deciding to step down, given “the examples of his mother and father to keep calm and carry on,” she said. “They will have had a huge impact on him to carry on with this until the end of his life.”