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King Charles Reveals Rare Detail About His Cancer Treatment

The subtle admission came during his visit with cancer patients in London.

Roosa RahkonenReporter, The Looker

PublishedMay 12, 2026, 5:51 PM EDT

UpdatedMay 12, 2026, 5:51 PM EDT

Updated May 12, 2026, 5:51 PM EDTPublished May 12, 2026, 5:51 PM EDT

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King Charles III revealed a rare detail regarding the effects of his cancer treatments on his body.

The 77-year-old spoke with cancer patients and staff while visiting Guy’s Cancer Centre in London on Monday.

When one patient, Raymond Burgess, 69, made a comment about chemotherapy to the British monarch, King Charles took the opportunity to relate.

Burgess shared that the cancer treatment left an unpleasant taste in his mouth.

“It’s an awful sort of metallic taste,” King Charles responded, according to The Telegraph.

Sensory changes are a widely reported side effect of chemotherapy. A metallic taste is sometimes referred to as “chemo mouth.“

King Charles added, “It doesn’t exactly help with eating.”

The comment came over two years after the British monarch was diagnosed with cancer in January 2024, though it would not be made public until one month later.

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He has since undergone treatments, but the palace has not shared details of the treatments or the type of cancer the king has.

King Charles previously shared with an army veteran, Aaron Mapplebeck, that he lost his taste following his early cancer treatment, according to Mapplebeck.

In May 2024, British Army veteran Aaron Mapplebeck told reporters that, after Mapplebeck shared his experience losing his sense of taste after cancer treatments, the King said that the same thing had happened to him.

Since his diagnosis, King Charles has advocated for cancer care.

In April 2025, Buckingham Palace organized a reception for cancer charities and organizations. On a booklet, handed out during the event, King Charles wrote a personal message.

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“Each diagnosis, each new case, will be a daunting and at times frightening experience for those individuals and their loved ones,” he wrote.

Continuing, “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.”

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In December 2025, King Charles shared positive news of his cancer journey.

During Channel 4’s Stand Up To Cancer 2025 broadcast, he said, “Thanks to early diagnosis, effective intervention and adherence to ‘doctors’ orders,’ my own schedule of cancer treatment can be reduced in the New Year.”

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Earlier reports claimed that the king’s cancer is incurable.

Another member of the royal family also underwent cancer treatment the same year. Kate Middleton, the wife of King Charles’s grandson, Prince William, was diagnosed with cancer in February 2024 following abdominal surgery and began chemotherapy soon thereafter.

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The Princess of Wales announced she was “cancer-free” in September 2024.

In January 2025, after visiting The Royal Marsden—the London hospital where she was treated, she shared a positive update about her health.

“It is a relief to now be in remission and I remain focused on recovery,” she wrote on X.

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Princess Catherine added that adjusting to her new normal would take time, but she was looking forward to the rest of the year.

“There is much to look forward to,” she wrote, adding, “Thank you to everyone for your continued support.”

Roosa RahkonenReporter, The Looker

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