King Charles Shares Rare Health Update During Southport Visit

The monarch made the brief revelation to a member of the public.

King Charles visits Southport
(Image credit: SCOTT HEPPELL/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

On Tuesday, King Charles visited Southport to pay tribute to the three young girls who died during a knife attack on July 29, the BBC reported. The attack took place at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class, leaving 10 people injured, and three dead. People left a plethora of beautiful tributes to the young girls who died—Bebe King, Elsie Dot Stancombe, and Alice da Silva Aguiar—which the King viewed before meeting members of the public.

According to the Express, King Charles was asked how his health has been during the visit, following his cancer diagnosis. "I'm not too bad," the monarch replied.

The monarch initially shared his cancer diagnosis with the world in February. The following month, it was announced that Princess Kate had also been diagnosed with cancer. 2024 must have been extremely difficult for the royal family to date. As a result, Charles' brief update suggests that his condition is improving following cancer treatment.

King Charles visits Southport

King Charles visited Southport on August 20.

(Image credit: Paul Ellis - WPA Pool/Peter Powell/AFP/Getty Images)

Local politician Patrick Hurley met with King Charles during the visit, and discussed the experience with the BBC. "The town's emotions were raging and they still are very raw and he was very empathetic," Hurley explained. "He was very keen to express his sympathy and empathy. Very keen to make sure the people of Southport know that from the symbolism perspective, the country's heart goes out to the people here."

Local business owner John Hayes commended Charles' visit, telling the BBC, "I think he only arrived in Balmoral yesterday so for him to come all the way to Southport today to see people is very kind of him." He continued, "And I’m sure everybody who met him got a lift from that."

King Charles visits Southport

"He was very keen to express his sympathy and empathy."

(Image credit: Paul Ellis - WPA Pool/Peter Powell/AFP/Getty Images)

Although King Charles hasn't provided many updates regarding his health, it was announced that his royal tour of Oceania will be shortened. Instead of visiting Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, and Samoa, Charles and his wife, Queen Camilla, will travel to Australia and Samoa, Hello previously reported.

Amy Mackelden
Contributing Editor

Amy Mackelden is a contributing editor at Marie Claire, where she covers celebrity and royal family news. She was the weekend editor at Harper’s BAZAAR for three years, where she covered breaking celebrity and entertainment news, royal stories, fashion, beauty, and politics. Prior to that, she spent a year as the joint weekend editor for Marie Claire, ELLE, and Harper's BAZAAR, and two years as an entertainment writer at Bustle. Her additional bylines include Cosmopolitan, People, The Independent, HelloGiggles, Biography, Shondaland, Best Products, New Statesman, Heat, and The Guardian. Her work has been syndicated by publications including Town & Country, Good Housekeeping, Esquire, Delish, Oprah Daily, Country Living, and Women's Health. Her celebrity interviews include Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Chastain, the cast of Selling Sunset, Emma Thompson, Jessica Alba, and Penn Badgley. In 2015, she delivered an academic paper at Kimposium, the world's first Kardashian conference.