Buckingham Palace indicated that the king's condition was benign, but added that his public engagement would be postponed “for a short period of recovery.”
“His Majesty the King was keen to share details of his diagnosis to encourage other men who may be experiencing symptoms to get tested in line with public health advice,” the statement read.
The written statement provides a link to information from Britain's National Health Service about benign prostatic hyperplasia, and advises that the condition can affect how a man urinates. The NHS noted that prostate enlargement “is common in men over the age of 50. It is not cancer and does not usually pose a serious health threat.”
Buckingham Palace was aware that two news events relating to royal health were exceptional and informed reporters that the King had a series of meetings and events planned for later this week at his home at Dumfries House in Scotland, which have now been postponed on the advice of a doctor.
Foreign dignitaries and members of the government were due to travel, so the palace now had to explain why Charles was not there.
In Britain, men over 50 are not routinely screened for prostate cancer by checking their prostate-specific antigen, or PSA, levels, as is common in the United States. The NHS has concluded that PSA tests produce too many false positives and unnecessary biopsies and surgeries. Instead, the NHS relies on physical examinations and, if necessary, MRI.
