The reign may have only just begun, but royal insiders are already looking ahead.
King Charles III, who ascended the throne in September 2022, has been undergoing treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer. While palace officials remain tight-lipped about the specifics, mounting reports suggest that preparations for the monarch’s funeral are not just active—they’re accelerating.
It’s not entirely unexpected. The British royal family has long operated with detailed contingency plans for major life events, and a monarch’s passing is no exception. The codename Operation Menai Bridge, assigned to Charles’ funeral protocol, has reportedly been folded into Operation London Bridge—the much larger plan first used for Queen Elizabeth II’s death.
As one former royal security officer, Simon Morgan, explained, planning starts the moment a sovereign takes the crown. “Even the King said in his acceptance speech that he would serve for as long as life allows him,” Morgan told RadarOnline. “It’s got to be in the back of your mind, and from the police, we’ve got to start planning again for the future.”
That future, according to some sources, might be arriving sooner than many expected.
Reports from The Telegraph indicate that King Charles’ cancer is incurable, even if not immediately fatal. Royal correspondent Camilla Tominey shared that while His Majesty is responding to treatment, his public engagements and long-term plans—like his 80th birthday celebrations in 2028—are being approached with caution. “The talk now is that he may die with cancer, but not of cancer,” she reported.
Another insider told NewsNationNow that the King declined chemotherapy in favor of a “less invasive” approach. Still, palace aides maintain that he’s coping “incredibly well.” “There’s no visible change in him,” one anonymous source shared. “As long as he follows his doctors’ advice, he’s living as normally as possible.”
And yet, the quiet preparations speak volumes.
According to royal author Tom Quinn, even before Charles’ diagnosis, there were whispers of succession planning behind palace walls. “He’s the oldest Prince of Wales to become King in history,” Quinn told Harper’s Bazaar. “So conversations about the future were happening regardless of health.”
Right now, the King continues to make appearances, attend select functions, and keep up with duties. But behind the smiles and schedules, it’s clear that the crown is already thinking about what comes next.
