King Charles told to ‘slow down a bit’ ahead of his prostate treatment this week

Monarch is set to undergo surgery for ‘benign’ condition this week

King Charles needs to “slow down a bit” after being diagnosed with an enlarged prostate, the Queen has reportedly said.

The monarch is resting at his Sandringham estate and was pictured driving there ahead of a planned surgery for the “benign” condition.

Charles cancelled several engagements following the diagnosis, which he got following a check-up after having experienced symptoms.

The health scare came after a busy 2023 for Charles, who made state visits to France, Germany and Kenya.

King is pictured driving around his Sandringham Estate (Paul Marriott)

“The Queen has told him he needs to slow down a bit”, a source told The Sun.

The royal family was hit by an unprecedented double health scare last week, with the update about the King coming after the palace announced that the Princess of Wales was in hospital after successful abdominal surgery.

And on Sunday the Duchess of York announced that she had been diagnosed with skin cancer - her second bout of the disease in a year following her treatment for breast cancer last summer.

On a visit to a family-run jewellery shop in Swindon on Monday, Camilla told a member of the public that the King is “fine” ahead of his procedure.

The King was reportedly keen to share details of his diagnosis to encourage other men who might be experiencing similar symptoms to get themselves checked.

Princess of Wales is recovering from abdominal surgery (PA)

Benign prostate enlargement (BPE) is the medical term to describe an enlarged prostate, a condition that can affect how you urinate.

BPE is common in men aged over 50. It’s not a cancer and it’s not usually a serious threat to health but many men worry that having an enlarged prostate means they have an increased risk of developing prostate cancer. This is not the case.

Buckingham Palace has not said where or when the King will have his surgery, but members of the royal family usually receive their care at The London Clinic, which is where Kate is recuperating for up to two weeks after abdominal surgery last week.

Sarah Ferguson also revealed she has been diagnosed with skin cancer ( sarahferguson15/Instagram)

Around 155 different conditions are treated at the hospital, which also operates as a charity, reinvesting in research, education and innovation.

Past patients include the late Duke of Edinburgh Prince Philip, Princess Margaret and former US president John F Kennedy.

Former prime minister and current foreign secretary, Lord David Cameron, was born at the central London hospital, and actress Elizabeth Taylor was also treated at the clinic after falling on a film set in the 1960s. Kate received her abdominal surgery at the hospital.