Duran Duran Bassist Andy Taylor, 63, Praises King Charles for Revealing His Cancer Diagnosis During His Own Treatment for the Disease: ‘It Will Save Millions of Lives’

Duran Duran bassist Andy Taylor has praised King Charles for revealing his cancer diagnosis, saying the Royal’s honesty will save “millions of lives.”

The musician is currently battling stage four prostate cancer and is two-thirds of the way through his latest breakthrough treatment.

Andy turned 63 on Friday, which will be his first birthday outside of the initial five-year life expectancy he was given after his diagnosis, which he attributes to advances in medical science.

Andy believes Charles will also reap the same benefits and says being open about his condition will encourage others, especially men, to do the same.

Speaking exclusively to MailOnline, he said: ‘There are some fantastic treatments for all kinds of cancer that weren’t available just a few years ago, so I imagine he’s getting the best of the best, as he should.

The musician told MailOnline: ‘This is what a modern king should do and I’m sure it will save millions of lives.’

“But the power of what the king did was that if he can be humble and talk about it, it will encourage others to do so, especially men.

‘You can talk nonsense in the pub after a few beers, but you don’t talk about your health together? That has always baffled me.

“So for the most famous man in the world to open up was audacious, which would have been absolutely huge for him. It was King-esque.

‘This is what a modern king should do and I am sure it will save millions of lives.

“Once you start talking about it, you discover the generosity, care and hope of other people.”

Andy, who was one of the original members of 1980s band Duran Duran along with singer Simon Le Bon, says his birthday will be a low-key one on the advice of his doctor, Sir Chris Evans, who is overseeing his radiotherapy treatment , those six… to eight weekly doses of “nuclear medicine” that kill the cancer in his prostate after it has spread to his bones.

He jokes: ‘I have to be careful because I have treatments that go into my bones – I can’t pull an Elvis.

‘You should avoid those delicious beers and take it easy.

“I got that official warning from Sir Chris, because it’s a skeleton thing you just have to be careful with.”

The rock star, who was told to prepare for end-of-life care, said he has had “two new treatments” and can sing and dance again (LR Duran Duran’s Roger Taylor, Simon Le Bon, Andy Taylor and John Taylor in 1981)

Andy admits that until recently the type of cancer he is battling was untreatable and says patients have simply had to ‘live and die’ with it.

He has been good enough to help organize several charity events to raise money for Cancer Awareness Trust, including an event last October that saw Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant perform the classic hit Stairway To Heaven for the first time in 16 years band performed with Andy on bass.

This week, the veteran rocker admitted in a new interview that he’s unlikely to ever play it again, meaning Andy’s bash will go down in music history.

He says: ‘Robert told us before our event that he would never perform it again and I understand why, if you write something when you’re younger, you don’t necessarily believe in it now.

“But because of the charitable nature of what we were doing, he said, ‘let’s give it a try.’

“It was amazing and I didn’t know he hadn’t played it in so long.

“The only thing I was worried about was trying to play it with him because my fingers were ruined after I fell.

“But it was very generous of his mind to do that.”

Andy is stepping up his fundraising efforts by hosting an online auction where bidders can compete for an original Banksy painting, which will be presented to them by himself, Robert and Sir Chris at the Claridges Hotel in London.

And flights and accommodation will be arranged so that the winner can collect the artwork.

‘It didn’t exist five years ago’: Earlier this year, Andy told how he had to undergo ‘nuclear therapy’ after being diagnosed with cancer

Money from the successful bid will go towards global fundraising to launch the first version of Cancer Platform – a free website and app that quickly and easily directs people to specific, trusted and expert information.

About the sought-after painting, Andy says: ‘There was a Banksy knocking on the door, so I thought: let’s give it away.

‘Banksy’s are very popular and this one has a military theme so it’s very appropriate at the moment.

‘The art lover or the public who receives it will benefit a little from it.’

Bullet point – visit the crowdfunder website for information on how to bid.

Or you can just plug in the link