King Charles admitted to the hospital for enlarged prostate treatment

King Charles, at the age of 75, recently made his way to a hospital in London for a scheduled medical procedure aimed at treating an enlarged prostate. On this particular Friday, he was seen arriving at the private London Clinic accompanied by Queen Camilla. This hospital is also where Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, is currently recuperating from her abdominal surgery.

PEOPLE magazine has reported that before his procedure, King Charles visited his daughter-in-law, the Princess of Wales, who is 42 years old, in the hospital. This visit came in the wake of an announcement made by Kensington Palace on January 17th, stating that Kate had undergone a planned abdominal surgery the day before.

The U.K.’s The Telegraph newspaper noted that King Charles departed from Clarence House just after 8:30 a.m. local time on the day of his procedure. He had returned to London the day before, specifically for this scheduled treatment.

Buckingham Palace released a statement on Friday confirming the King’s hospital admission for the planned treatment. The statement also conveyed King Charles’ gratitude to those who sent good wishes over the past week. He expressed delight in learning that his diagnosis has positively impacted public awareness regarding health.

On January 17th, Buckingham Palace had previously announced that King Charles would be undergoing a “corrective procedure” the following week to address his benign enlarged prostate condition. The statement read, “In common with thousands of men each year, The King has sought treatment for an enlarged prostate. His Majesty’s condition is benign and he will attend hospital next week for a corrective procedure. The King’s public engagements will be postponed for a short period of recuperation.”

A royal source informed PEOPLE that King Charles would still be able to carry out his constitutional responsibilities and duties during this period. It is understood that the King chose to publicly disclose his diagnosis to motivate men experiencing similar symptoms to seek medical attention. The National Health Service in the United Kingdom notes that benign prostate enlargement is quite common in men over 50 and usually does not pose a serious health risk.

Recently, King Charles was seen driving to the Sandringham estate in Norfolk with Queen Camilla, aged 76, on January 19th. The couple also attended church the Sunday before the palace’s announcement. Following the Buckingham Palace statement regarding King Charles’ health, Queen Camilla briefly commented on her husband’s condition during a visit to Aberdeen, Scotland.

When asked by Lord Lieutenant of Aberdeen Dr. David Cameron about the King’s well-being upon her arrival at the Aberdeen Art Gallery on January 18th, Queen Camilla responded positively. She was in Aberdeen to inaugurate the new “Safe Space,” aligning with her long-standing commitment to supporting victims of domestic violence. “He’s fine, thank you very much. Looking forward to getting back to work,” she stated.

As King Charles recovers, there is no indication that Prince William, as the heir to the throne, will assume additional duties. Prince William, 41, holds the title of Prince of Wales and served as a Counsellor of State and the regent during his father’s reign. According to the House of Commons Library, a regent would only be appointed in cases where a monarch ascends to the throne before the age of 18 or if a monarch becomes permanently incapacitated due to physical or mental infirmity.

The use of this provision has been infrequent in history. The most recent instance of a Prince Regent was in the early 19th century when the future King George IV assumed the role from 1811 to 1820 during the illness of his father, King George III.