‘Stressful’: King Charles’s health update ahead of Australian tour

The health of King Charles is under scrutiny as he marks a poignant milestone after a turbulent year for the royals.

King Charles’s health is “heading in a very positive trajectory” following his cancer diagnosis as the 75-year-old marks the second anniversary of his accession to the throne.

The King has endured a turbulent second year as monarch amid his personal health battles and his daughter-in-law’s shock cancer diagnosis.

A source told The Sun that Charles, who will visit Australia with Queen Camilla next month, had coped with the past year with a “determination to be as public as he was able” to reassure the nation about how much he could still do.

The monarch has been strengthened by his wife’s support, the source said.

“Her natural warmth, resilience and sense of humour, as I’m sure any patient will tell you, is a wonderful thing to have.

Queen Camilla, with King Charles at The Braemar Gathering, has been a pillar of strength for her husband. Picture: Getty Images

“Of course it’s been a stressful year for Her Majesty, too, but there was never a sense of despondency, only a determination that they would get through this, as with so many other challenging issues in the past.”

King Charles is expected to spend this weekend attending church and spending time in reflection at Balmoral.

King Charles waves as he leaves The Braemar Gathering 2024. Picture: Getty Images

The monarch is marking two years since his accession to the throne. Picture: Getty Images

“Health has to remain the number one priority, albeit heading in a very positive trajectory,” the source told The Sun.

Queen Camilla gave an insight into the King’s treatment last week when she opened a new cancer centre in Bath, revealing he was “doing very well”.

The cancer-stricken King spent around three months away from public duties before returning in April with a visit to a cancer centre in London.

He had a high profile run of engagements over the next few months including the D-Day 80th anniversary commemorations as well as Trooping the Colour, and the appointment of a new British Prime Minister.

“The best way of seeing how the King has coped is through his actions and words — everything that you’ve seen, everything that he’s said, and everything that he’s done,” the source said.

“From the earliest outset of the health challenge, it was the King’s determination to be as public as he was able, so that people could be reassured by just how much he was still able to do in the circumstances, under his doctors’ advice.

“That has obviously slowly dialled up as the program of treatment and recovery continued, with the result that the King is off on a 12,000 mile trip to Australia and Samoa in a few weeks’ time.”

Prince Harry is set for a huge financial windfall. Picture: Getty Images

The Queen Mother set up a trust fund for her great-grandchildren. Picture: AP

It comes as Prince Harry prepares to receive a massive $A15.7 million inheritance on his upcoming 40th birthday from the Queen Mother.

The mother of Queen Elizabeth set up a huge trust fund for the Duke of Sussex when he was aged 10.

The money was to be distributed between her great-grandchildren with a first payment on their 21st birthdays and a second payment when they reached the age of 40.

Although the details of the trust fund were not made public, sources told The Times it is believed that the Queen Mother may have left a larger portion to Prince Harry than his estranged brother Prince William due to the elder brother’s fortune from the Duchy of Cornwall.

A former Palace aide told The Times: “There was a trust fund set up at the time. It was a way in which the Queen Mother could set aside money for when her great-grandchildren were older and a way of passing a slice of her estate down in a tax-efficient way.

“It was a way in which some of her estate could be ring-fenced for them.”

Originally published as ‘Stressful’: King Charles’s health update ahead of Australian tour