King Charles III will stress the importance of friendship “especially in difficult times” in a message released on Thursday before the Easter weekend, as he and Princess Catherine battle cancer.
This pre-recorded audio message will be broadcast on Thursday, March 28 during a religious service at Worcester Cathedral (central England), according to excerpts released by Buckingham Palace.
“We need a lot and get a lot of good from those who extend the hand of friendship to us, especially in difficult times,” says Charles, 75, who will not be present in person.
Although the king is not more explicit, his words will resonate in a very particular way a few weeks after the sovereign revealed that he was suffering from cancer and less than a week after his daughter-in-law, Princess Catherine, wife of Prince William revealed in an exceptional video message that she is also being treated for cancer.
At the Easter Mass in person
The religious service on Maundy Thursday is one of the traditional events on the royal calendar and marks the beginning of the Easter weekend. It is Queen Camilla, Charles’ wife, who will represent the king there.
Furthermore, the sovereign will personally attend the traditional Easter mass in Windsor on Sunday morning, along with other members of the royal family, the palace announced on Tuesday. William and Kate will be absent, taking a break from media attention with their children.
Buckingham Palace announced in early February that the king was suffering from cancer, discovered a few days earlier during prostate surgery, and that he had begun treatment.
Charles III has since canceled all official public engagements, but continues to perform certain official functions or small gatherings, such as his meetings with the Prime Minister.
“Extremely moved”
On Friday, Princess of Wales Kate announced that she had cancer, without specifying its nature, and that she had begun chemotherapy. Her cancer was discovered after an abdominal operation that took place in mid-January.
Kate and William have since said they were “extremely moved” and “touched” by the support they received from around the world, while the king said he was “proud” of his daughter-in-law’s courage, after weeks of speculation in the in the media and on social networks caused by Kate’s lack of public appearance since Christmas.
Source: BFM TV
