LONDON (AP) 鈥 King Charles III is doing well after undergoing a 鈥渃orrective procedure鈥 for an enlarged prostate, Queen Camilla said Friday as she left the private hospital where he was being treated.
The was admitted to the London Clinic, where the Princess of Wales, his daughter-in-law, is recovering from abdominal surgery, Buckingham Palace said Friday. The king, who entered the hospital with Camilla at his side, visited after he arrived.
鈥淗e鈥檚 doing well, thank you,鈥 Camilla told people inside the hospital. She left the hospital at 3:10 p.m. and appeared to be in good spirits.
Charles, who ascended the throne 16 months ago, on Jan. 17 after he experienced undisclosed symptoms. He canceled engagements and was urged to rest ahead of the procedure. which had concluded by Friday afternoon.
鈥淭he King was this morning admitted to a London hospital for scheduled treatment,鈥欌 the palace said. 鈥淗is Majesty would like to thank all those who have sent their good wishes over the past week.鈥
The king decided to announce the surgery in advance in an effort to encourage other men to have their prostates checked in line with public health advice.
The palace said the king was 鈥渄elighted to learn that his diagnosis is having a positive impact on public health awareness.鈥欌
The prostate is a small gland that surrounds the urethra 鈥 the tube that carries urine out of the body. An enlarged prostate can put pressure on the urethra and make it more difficult to urinate.
Britain鈥檚 好色tv Health Service recommends that men see their doctors if they notice any problems with, or changes in, their usual pattern of urination. Surgery is usually only recommended when a patient experiences moderate to severe symptoms that don鈥檛 respond to medicine.
Benign prostate enlargement is common in men over age 50, and normally it isn鈥檛 a serious health threat, the NHS says.
鈥淭he risk of prostate cancer is no greater for men with an enlarged prostate than it is for men without an enlarged prostate,鈥 the agency says on its website.
News of the king鈥檚 treatment came amid a flurry of royal medical news over the past 10 days.
The Princess of Wales鈥 office at Kensington Palace said the princess underwent planned abdominal surgery on Jan. 16 for an undisclosed condition. 16. The palace didn鈥檛 provide further details but said her condition wasn鈥檛 cancerous.
The 42-year-old princess, formerly Kate Middleton, is the wife of , the heir to the throne. She is on day 11 of her hospital stay and is expected to remain in the hospital for up to two weeks, the palace says.
Though she is physically active and has generally experienced good health, Kate was hospitalized with severe morning sickness when she was pregnant.
Soon after Kate was hospitalized last week, the Duchess of York was diagnosed with a malignant skin cancer that was discovered during . The melanoma was found after several moles were removed while she was undergoing reconstructive surgery after a mastectomy.
The duchess, 64, the ex-wife of and the mother of Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, was once a favorite target of Britain鈥檚 tabloids. The former Sarah Ferguson, often called by her nickname, 鈥淔ergie,鈥 has written a number of children鈥檚 books, as well as a historical romance for adults.
While it is somewhat unusual for members of the royal family to release details about their health, the announcements about Charles and Kate鈥檚 conditions were seen as a way to avoid speculation because appearances would have to be postponed or canceled.
a number of engagements to be able to support Kate and their three children during the time she's hospitalized and after.
Stories about the health of Britain鈥檚 senior royals have been in the news repeatedly in recent years.
Speculation about the health of the late increased during the last months of her 70-year reign as undisclosed 鈥渕obility issues鈥 limited her public appearances. After that, focus switched to Charles, who ascended the throne at an age when most of his contemporaries were long retired.
