Actor, author and comedian Stephen Fry has spoken about ‘what I wished I had known’ about cancer in the wake of King Charles announced he is being treated for the disease. The King earlier this week said that when he received treatment for an enlarged prostate cancer was discovered.
The King has postponed all public-facing duties, but is continuing with behind-the-scenes work on his red boxes of state papers. Buckingham Palace has not disclosed the type of cancer and said he had chosen to share the news to “assist public understanding” for those around the world affected by the disease.
Mr Fry suffered from prostrate cancer in 2018 and is a friend of the King. Speaking on the Radio 4 Today show podcast to hosts Amol Rajan and Nick Robinson he said that when he received his diagnosis he had no idea that it would linger in his life for so long.
Mr Fry said: “I wish that I’d known that it would take so long to get over it all. I don’t mean the actual physical recuperation and convalescence. I mean that it takes a long time to leave you, cancer.”
Rajan asked: “And does it ever leave you?” Fry replied:” ell, that’s the question. You know, this kind of active vigilance and surveillance that oncologists talk about that you’re really certainly every three months I have the blood test to see my specialist, and we check everything and I’m sort of aware that it’s in me.
“When you get to my age we know that having had the experience, we each had of a diagnosis when it comes to being told that you should have a colonoscopy, you’re more likely to say yes, I will than put it off. That male thing where you put things off is taken away from you. You do actually say no. I think that is a wise thing. I will do that.”
Fry praised the King for revealing his cancer diagnosis to the public, but said he is “anxious” for him. Fry said: “I am anxious, of course – anxious for his wellbeing, and anxious that, having sort of been in the wings all this time and to have such a short time on centre stage, if he were to be seriously ill, would be really, really sad, because he has a lot to do and a lot he wants to do.
“I think what he wants to do is good, is beneficial for the country and for the people he’s there to help.” The former QI host stressed the importance of people talking about the disease.
“Cancer is sort of mushroom-like – in the dark it grows. It’s more dangerous when not exposed to the light.
“It’s a bit like the Voldemort principle in the Harry Potter books – if you’re afraid to say the name then the name has more power over you.”
The Prince of Wales has spoken about the King’s cancer diagnosis for the first time and thanked the public for their “kind messages of support”. William’s words of praise, delivered during a fundraising gala dinner, also recognised those who wished the Princess of Wales well, as she recovers from planned abdominal surgery.
He told the guests “It means a great deal to us all.” The heir to the throne was back at work on Wednesday supporting the King as his brother, the Duke of Sussex, travelled home to America following a whirlwind trip to see their father.
William had taken time off to support his family after Kate’s operation on January 16, and returned to public duties once her care and recovery had settled. But his first day back on duty came as the royal family was dealing with the health scare surrounding his father, the head of state whose reign will pass the 17-month mark on Thursday.
William gave his pre-dinner speech at the event, raising funds for London’s Air Ambulance Charity’s new fleet of helicopters, where guests included Hollywood star Tom Cruise and Arsenal football club manager Mikel Arteta.
The prince said: “I’d like to take this opportunity to say thank you, also, for the kind messages of support for Catherine and for my father, especially in recent days. It means a great deal to us all.
“It’s fair to say the past few weeks have had a rather medical focus, so I thought I’d come to an air ambulance function to get away from it all.”
