The Spire

Sean Rego ’26

Opinions Editor

In 1901, Queen Victoria died after many decades on the throne. No one could imagine the world without the Queen. Her son, the flamboyant and modern Edward VII, had waited all his life to be King. He was ready for facing and making change. Edward had been a controversial figure at times, getting caught up in affairs and often having a precarious relationship with his mother. Despite the immense baggage he carried onto the Crown, Edward proved to be a defining monarch, ushering in our understanding of 20th Century leaders. However, only a year or so into his reign, the King was struck with a serious illness that, if not caught in time, would’ve certainly killed him prematurely. Does the story of Edward VII sound like anyone else so far?

I write in light of the recent diagnosis of King Charles III, who is believed to have some form of early cancer. It is only a little more than a year into his reign, and the man who has waited all his life to rule has seemingly been thrown to face one of humanity’s most tragic illnesses. It goes to show that cancer can affect anyone, king or commoner, young or old. 

I have my hopes that the King will indeed recover though. He may be 75, but he has some of the best medical technology and finest doctors in the world. He may take a preliminary step back from certain royal duties, but he is an active, determined man, who’s been waiting for his time on the throne. Yet, in the worst reality where things aren’t positive, I still believe that the King has already done some notable things to define his reign.

The King is very open about himself and his life, more than most people in a similar position anyway, especially in regards to an economic image. Back in the beginning of 2023, King Charles diverted a large majority of his profits from the Crown Estates to the UK treasury in lieu of the global cost of living crisis. The Crown Estates are the privately run holdings of the King and his family (ie they can decide what they want to do with their own property, as a citizen could). At around one billion pounds in revenue, this was an astounding sum that the King gave to his country from his own investments.  

He has also spent considerable time acting his part as head of state, traveling to regions in Europe and Africa. In France, he became the first British monarch to address the Senate and in Kenya, the King took time to mention the sins committed during British administration. He isn’t discrediting the history of Britain, but he surely is grappling with reconciliation across the world. 

During the two Christmas speeches that the King has given so far, he hasn’t shied away from the difficulties Great Britain is facing, and continues to hold his view that he is the defender of all faiths, even when he holds strong Christian values. 

Really, I give the King the most respect for his candid handling of his current ailments. In January, when he first went in for a corrective prostate procedure, the King was quite open about it all. Although perhaps not traditional, King Charles’s choice to share his procedure and encourage men to get medical check-ups has boosted awareness of the issue of enlarged prostates and cancer therein. 

The King continues his candidness with the news of his own cancer diagnosis, saying on Monday during his most recent statement: 

“It is equally heartening to hear how sharing my own diagnosis has helped promote public understanding and shine a light on the work of all those organisations which support cancer patients and their families across the UK and wider world. My lifelong admiration for their tireless care and dedication is all the greater as a result of my own personal experience.”

Unlike other leaders of the world, it is not so often that you can find such a humble statement, one of empathy and honor. He knows he is not the only one affected by this terrible disease, and anyone who has directly or indirectly been affected by cancer can surely appreciate that. 

It is interesting to see the continual progression of the King, and even more so, the public’s opinion of him. In America, we seemed to have a perception of the King as a particular bad person, in relation to his time as prince. We’ve put blame on him for the tragic story of Diana; we’ve shunned him for his adoration of Camilla, and some of us (I am thinking of the show “The Crown,” specifically) have even suggested that he connived at the downfall of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II. But this simply is not the case.

King Charles III is a man with a turbulent history, no doubt about it. Being a constitutional monarch is not nearly as much a luxury as it is a duty. He was born to lead nations, and with the press constantly in his face, there was bound to be human error. But the King has done nothing to dethrone the fact that he strives for core values of the West, those being family, liberty, faith and charity. With the monarchy, Britain and the world itself in a void of uncertainty, we’d do better to have leaders like Charles III, who are willing to be sincere and open-minded. 

Like his great-great-grandfather, Edward VII, the King is a man who is ready to brave the whirlwind of the new Century. He seeks not to throw out the old system, nor banish modernity, but instead to find a constructive balance of the two. The King is indeed old, but he knows he still must serve his country and commonwealth. Despite the horrible news of his cancer diagnosis, I can only find further proof of his intentions, for his actions will certainly raise awareness to issues we all face, beyond just geopolitics. 

All of this said, I am far from ready to start throwing around awful ideas of abdication and death, for I truly believe that with some good hope, we will see many prosperous years in those sceptered isles under the reign of King Charles III. 

COPY EDITED BY WILL DONAHUE