Cancer-stricken Charles could receive a 'mix' of alternative and traditional treatment, King's ex-communications secretary has suggested

King Charles could also receive alternative cancer therapies in addition to usual treatments, his former communications secretary has suggested.

Kristina Kyriacou, who advised the monarch for seven years when he was Prince of Wales, said the 75-year-old “will be very philosophical and curious” after his shock diagnosis.

“He loves his alternative medicine,” she told Good Morning Britain.

'He'll get a mix – he'll get traditional treatment, but he'll take the opportunity to use it to become more enlightened.'

Buckingham Palace dramatically revealed last night that doctors had discovered an unspecified form of cancer while treating a benign prostate condition. However, it is not prostate cancer.

No further details about his condition have been shared other than him remains 'completely positive' and looks forward to returning to full public duties.

Family and friends are said to be amazed at the king's determination to continue with 'business as usual'.

It is clear that his condition was caught very early and the prognosis is good.

While King Charles began a 'regular treatment regimen' yesterday, he has long supported alternative medicine.

Typical treatment consists of surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Cancer Research UK notes that some patients also use complementary therapies to feel better, ease the side effects of these treatments and improve quality of life.

Aromatherapy, acupuncture, herbal medicine, massage therapy, visualization and yoga are among the most common examples, the report said.

Meanwhile, alternative therapies are typically used instead of medical treatments.

Some examples include shark cartilage supplements, laetrile (a plant-based substance), and Gerson therapy, which involves following an organic vegetarian diet and having up to five coffee enemas per day.

There is no scientific or medical evidence that these therapies can cure cancer.

According to Cancer Research UK, some may even be unsafe, cause harmful side effects or interact with medical treatments.

King Charles previously expressed his support for the Gerson therapy, which also involves drinking up to 13 glasses of fruit juice a day.

In 2004, he told the Royal College of Gynecology that it should be investigated for its 'useful nature', rather than rejected.

He cited the case of an unidentified patient who was told she would not survive her next round of chemotherapy, but was “alive and well” seven years later after turning to Gerson therapy. Guardian reported at the time.

Medics quashed his claims and the therapy was never approved by the NHS, only available in specialist private clinics.

Professor Edzard Ernst, an internationally renowned expert in the field of complementary medicine, has built a reputation for promoting therapies that have no scientific basis.

In his book “Charles, The Alternative Prince,” he warned that the only clinical trial of the Gerson therapy “suggested not a prolonged but a shorter survival time.”

The king is also a staunch supporter of homeopathy based on the principle of 'like curs like', so materials known to cause certain symptoms can also cure them.

He lobbied for homeopathy and other alternative medicine through the Foundation for Integrated Health, which he founded in 1993 but closed in 2010 after allegations of fraud and money laundering.

A memo sent by King Charles to then Prime Minister Tony Blair in 2004 urged him to tackle EU legislation that restricted the use of herbal medicines in Britain.

Although limited details have been given about the King's current battle with cancer, his care is likely under the King's supervision Dr. Michael Dixon, who has been and remains Head of the Royal Medical Household since 2022 known for its support of complementary therapies.

The king faced criticism from academics and campaigners in December after it emerged that Dr Dixon had taken on the role, which means he is responsible for the health of the king and the royal family.

At the time, Buckingham Palace defended Dr. Dixon's appointment, arguing that the doctor believed that complementary therapies “can sit alongside conventional treatments, provided they are safe, appropriate and evidence-based.”

The GP, who has an OBE for services to primary care, has expressed his support for treatments such as aromatherapy and reflexology to be offered on the NHS.

In an article he wrote he referred to an experiment suggesting that Indian herbal medicines 'ultra-diluted' with alcohol could cure cancer, although Buckingham Palace has strongly denied that Dr Dixon himself believes this can work.

A statement from the palace at the time of his appointment read: “Dr. Dixon does not believe that homeopathy can cure cancer.

'His position is that complementary therapies can sit alongside conventional treatments, provided they are safe, appropriate and evidence-based.'

Dr. Dixon, who reportedly prescribed plants such as devil's claw and horny goat weed to patients, has also written articles suggesting that Christian healers may be able to help people who are chronically ill.

It is hoped that the king's healthy lifestyle will best serve the monarch in his battle against cancer.

In addition to a healthy breakfast with fresh fruit and lots of linseed, the king says he regularly does not eat meat, fish and dairy on certain days.

Meanwhile, a list of facts about Charles on the royal family's website confirms that he 'doesn't eat lunch' due to his hectic schedule.

His former press secretary Julian Payne, who replaced Ms Kyriacou, has said: 'The king does not eat lunch; So an early lesson I learned while out and about with him was to have a big breakfast or pack a few snack bars to keep you going.

'The working day is quite brutal. Starting with the headlines on the radio and a breakfast of seasonal fruit salad and seeds with tea.'

According to Payne, his only break is taken around 1 p.m., “not to eat, but to go outside for a walk.” He also stays active with hill walking and gardening.

He has rarely required hospital care, apart from relatively minor ailments, his recent prostate enlargement treatment and polo and skiing accidents.

Ms Kyriacou, who oversaw communications for the king from 2009 to 2016, told Sky News this morning that the king has a “wonderful diet”.

She said: 'If you have breakfast with him in the morning and lift the wrong lid off the wrong breakfast, you will find something that looks like bird seed.

'He really takes care of himself. He walks, he stays active, he doesn't eat lunch, he has afternoon tea, a very light afternoon tea.

“He will have done so many things that will serve him well at his age.”

Experts agree that maintaining a healthy lifestyle is important both in cancer prevention and during cancer treatment.

There is some evidence that it may help manage the stress and fatigue caused by the disease and its treatment.

Research has also shown that people who exercise during treatment not only cope better with side effects, but also live longer.

International guidelines recommend patients stay active and resume normal activities as soon as possible.