Monarch to Broadcast Intimate Statement on His Health Battle in TV Programme

The Monarch has filmed a first-hand account about his experience with cancer, which will be broadcast as part of this year's fundraising campaign, organised by Cancer Research UK and Channel 4.

Buckingham Palace said the King would reflect on his "recovery journey" as a cancer patient, in a video message on Friday evening at 8pm UK time.

The message, recorded at his London residence two weeks ago, will stress the vital significance of preventative health checks to ensure more people detect the illness at an early stage.

This will be a uncommon insight on the medical condition of the Sovereign, who has been in a course of therapy since revealing his diagnosis in early last year. Analysts suggest unlikely the King will disclose his particular diagnosis.

The Campaign's Central Purpose

The Stand Up To Cancer campaign each year generates donations for clinical trials and treatment and urges people to get check-ups to increase the odds of an timely detection.

The King's relative openness about his illness, and his experience as a patient, has been designed to increase understanding and to encourage more people to get screened - and this will be escalated with this exceptional direct participation.

Up until now the King's main approach to his cancer has been to keep working, preserving a busy schedule alongside his frequent sessions of treatment, and he appears not to have sought to be overshadowed by his condition.

Recently has seen the 77-year-old Monarch, undertaking several foreign visits, such as visits to Italy and Canada, and hosting the highest tally of inward state visits to the UK for almost 40 years, featuring the German president recently.

Charity Broadcast Event

The upcoming Stand Up to Cancer broadcast on television, hosted by well-known figures including a team of famous hosts, will urge people not to be scared of getting cancer checks.

All three have been personally touched by cancer - McCall revealed last month she had had an operation for the disease, while Balding was diagnosed with the illness more than 15 years ago. Comedian Adam Hills has previously discussed his parent, who had a diagnosis and then later another illness.

The broadcast will reach out to the roughly 9m people in the UK who Cancer Research UK estimate are not current with national health programmes, with an online checker to let people see if they are eligible for tests for breast, bowel and cervical cancer.

In an attempt to demystify screenings and demonstrate the importance of prompt detection there will be a live broadcast from treatment centres at medical facilities in Cambridge.

"My aim is to take the fear from preventative tests and prove all people that they are not isolated in this," commented Davina McCall.

Available National Services

Right now in the UK, there are several key publicly available checks - for specific cancers - accessible for specific demographics.

A new preventative initiative is also being slowly rolled out for people at high risk of developing the disease, focusing on people aged 55-74 years old, who currently smoke or have smoked in the past.

Male patients may discuss specific tests, but there is lacking a standardised service currently available.

Ongoing Efforts

The fundraising project, which has raised £113m over the past decade, is funding 73 clinical trials involving thousands of patients.

His Majesty, in a address for dignitaries at a event for support groups in earlier this year, had spoken of recognising the "intimidating and at times scary experience" for those diagnosed and their loved ones.

But he noted his personal journey of living with cancer had shown him that "the darkest moments of sickness can be alleviated by the kindness of others," as he praised those who looked after those receiving treatment.

The Palace has not made public what kind of cancer the King has, or the therapies he has undergone. The King's cancer was identified following he had had a routine operation.