On his 77th birthday King Charles looks back on a year full of scandals
King Charles III turns 77 years old. The monarch's cancer preoccupies both the royal family and the public. And then there was the scandal surrounding his brother Andrew.
14.11.2025, 11:57
dpa
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- King Charles III celebrates his 77th birthday today, Friday, November 14.
- He has been head of the British monarchy since September 2022. Before that, he was considered the "eternal heir to the throne" for decades.
- "Charles' reign is seen as an evolution rather than a revolution," writes the PA news agency.
- The king's decision to strip his younger brother Andrew of all titles and honors due to his role in the Jeffrey Epstein sex offender scandal was well received by the British people.
Visibly moved, King Charles III stood alongside Queen Camilla and his daughter-in-law Kate as "God Save the King" was sung in London's iconic Royal Albert Hall.
The memorial service in honor of those who served in the world wars was one of the many appointments the monarch has made for his people in recent weeks. This is no longer a matter of course.
Today, Friday, November 14, the King celebrates his 77th birthday. Almost two years ago, the palace announced that Charles was suffering from cancer. The past few months, with an initial rapprochement with his disowned son Harry and then the scandal surrounding his younger brother Andrew, will have taken their toll.
It is still not known what type of cancer Charles has, but it is not prostate cancer. A subordinate clause has become established in the British media:
The King, "who is still being treated for cancer", meaning he is still being treated for cancer. There are concerns about the health of Queen Elizabeth II's eldest son, but they are rarely voiced publicly.
Hospital stays become breaking news
It is the surprising announcements from the palace that are a constant reminder that the head of state is ill. When Charles had to be taken to hospital briefly last March, the rest of the British news world stood still.
Is it something serious? Who knows more? Charles was treated for side effects of the therapy. The following day, photos were circulated showing Charles waving in a car.
A cancer diagnosis is "scary and sometimes terrifying", Charles said this year. He described himself as one of the "statistics" among the 390,000 people diagnosed with cancer in the UK each year. However, Charles will not be restricted in his royal work
He "won't slow down and won't do as he's told", Queen Camilla reported shortly after his hospital stay in March. Her husband is "doing well". This was followed by strenuous and sometimes long trips abroad - the royal couple visited the Vatican twice this year, as well as Canada for a state visit.
"I don't know how long my father has to live"
Official reports on the progress of the disease are rare. Nevertheless, the British tabloid media are not very reticent.
When Prince Harry, who has emigrated to the USA, recently spoke of his desire for a reconciliation with his father, he was also moved to say: "Life is precious. I don't know how long my father has left to live."
And there was immediate speculation about the monarch's state of health: Is death already looming?
The most important thing for Charles will be that he was actually able to receive Harry in September. The two met at Clarence House in London. Only the two of them can judge whether it was really a rapprochement. For the time being, Harry remains much further away from his father than his brother.
The close relationship with heir to the throne William
The cancer diagnosis for Charles, and only a little later for Princess Kate, was like having the rug pulled out from under your feet, said Prince William.
His wife had had to undergo chemotherapy for the disease. In January of this year, she announced that she was relieved to be in remission. "I am so proud of my wife and father for the way they have coped over the last year," said William.
The 43-year-old heir to the throne has a very close relationship with his father. If nothing unforeseen happens, William will sit on the British throne for much longer than Charles, who became king at the age of 73.
"Charles' reign is seen as an evolution rather than a revolution," wrote the PA news agency. The king continues the role of his mother, who died in 2022 and dedicated her life to the nation.
On the list of the "most popular" royals, the most popular members of the royal family, which is updated quarterly by the opinion research institute YouGov, Charles ranks fourth - behind Kate, William and his sister, Princess Anne.
The King's decision to strip his younger brother Andrew of all titles and honors due to his role in the Jeffrey Epstein sex offender scandal was well received by Britons.
The clear distancing from Andrew, combined with the statement that Charles and Camilla express their deepest condolences to all victims of abuse, would hardly have been conceivable in the British royal family a few years ago. Just like the open handling of Charles and Kate's cancer in early 2024.
