King Charles health update raises concerns as Harry visits medical facility

King Charles, who continues to get weekly cancer treatment, is set to return to London following his break at Balmoral Castle, as Prince Harry attends to his royal engagements.

The anticipation of the royal reunion was fuelled after the top aides of the Sussexes and the King’s communication secretary met in London in July, hoping to initiate a reconciliation between the two camps after the years long rift.

Harry had not met with his father since last meeting at Clarence House 20 months ago, after he received a personal phone call from the King about the upsetting diagnosis. While the Palace has assured repeatedly that Charles is doing well in his treatment, a fresh update seems to have caused concerns.

The monarch is “putting on a brave face because he wants to reassure the public, but the truth is he's much weaker than he lets on,” a source told RadarOnline. “Behind palace doors, his health is fragile. These upbeat comments are more about optics than reality – he knows people look to him for strength."

According to a palace insider, the king’s visit last week to Midland Metropolitan University Hospital in Smethwick was a carefully curated trip. Charles was “trying to appear relatable” as he joked about “age and frailty, but privately it’s no joke”.

He is “acutely aware his prognosis is uncertain” and the “smiles and humour are a mask”, which is probably why the monarch is open to a reconciliation with his estranged son.

After his Nottingham event, where he achieved a special milestone, Harry is expected to return on Wednesday for his visit Centre for Blast Injury Studies at Imperial College.

Meanwhile, there has been no update on a possible meeting between the king and his son. Although, sources previously shared that if a meeting were to happen, it would be kept hidden from the public and strictly kept a private affair.