Queen Camilla is 'very compassionate' about the impact of cancer, says the boss of the center the royal family visited days before King Charles' diagnosis was made public

Queen Camilla is “very compassionate and knowledgeable” about the impact of cancer and will play a “supportive role” to King Charles and Prince William during her husband's treatment, a charity boss has claimed.

Last night, Buckingham Palace announced that 75-year-old King Charles has been diagnosed with cancer and will step back from his public duties while he undergoes treatment.

Dame Laura Lee, who is the CEO of Maggie's cancer charity, said on BBC Breakfast this morning that the Queen was 'in a good and strong mood' when she saw her last week.

Queen Camilla, 76, has been chair of Maggie's cancer charity for 15 years and attended the opening of their new center at the Royal Free Hospital Center last Wednesday in London.

Dame Lee said: 'So the Queen is very knowledgeable about the impact of cancer and is very compassionate and empathetic when it comes to understanding the impact and the role of the support she will undoubtedly provide to the King at this time.'

Discussing how Charles' diagnosis could affect other members of the company, Dame Lee continued: 'I think she understands that cancer is a very specific experience for each individual, but it is also the family that goes through it.

'So she will be thinking about how best to support the King, but she will also be thinking about the rest of the family – Prince William – and also about supporting the King in his desire to remain fully active and continue working to the treatment.'

Reflecting on Camilla's visit last week, Dame Lee highlighted how the Queen took time to speak to a group of people who have been affected by cancer in some way.

She explained: “She has visited and visited many of our Maggie's centers and so it was a day of work for her, of coming to help us celebrate and open the centre.

“So obviously we know this information about King Charles after that visit, but during that visit, as she does in all our centers, she sat down with a group of people affected by cancer, who talked about their own stories, about how they had faced the challenges of cancer, and how important support was to them.”

Additionally, Dame Laura said a cancer diagnosis can be an “adjustment process” and praised King Charles for sharing his diagnosis.

She added, “So he's telling others that he's going through this, that they're not alone. He is with them in that.

“But he's also giving his time to his family to come to terms with what's going on and what lies ahead.”

Dame Laura Lee said during an interview on BBC Breakfast that Queen Camilla will play a 'supporting role' to King Charles (pictured on Christmas Day 2023)

Pictured: Queen Camilla seen speaking to members of the public who will benefit from the new cancer centre

Maggie's is a charity supporting cancer patients and their families and has 24 centers in hospitals across the UK.

The charity was founded by Maggie Keswick Jencks and her husband Charles Jencks after she received a second cancer diagnosis in 1993.

After moving to a windowless hallway to cope with the news, the couple came up with the idea of ​​setting up centers to provide support for people with cancer and opened their first in Edinburgh in 1996.

During her visit to the new center in north-west London, Queen Camilla met donors including Sir Gerald Ronson, who asked about the king's health following his treatment for an enlarged prostate.

“How's the boss?” he said.

“He's making progress and doing his best,” she replied.

Dori Dana-Haeri, who led fundraising for the new center, said she was “so happy” that Charles, 75, was doing well.

Queen Camilla nodded as she said, “Thank God.”

The king is “doing well” and “doing his best” after his three-night stay in hospital, the queen said last week. She is pictured with Viscountess Marcia Blakenham

Speaking to people affected by cancer, Camilla said during her visit to the center: 'It's such an incredible place. You can literally come and chill, right?'

Marilyn Bello, 51, from north London, was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer in 2020 and told the Queen she came to Maggie's during chemotherapy and met lots of new friends, “people who understand you.”

She thanked her for her work, but the queen replied: “It is not I who you should thank.”

She continues: 'It's nice that you can just come by if you want, you don't have to make an appointment.'

Prince Harry's father called him personally to tell him the devastating news about his cancer and the Duke of Sussex jumped on a plane so he could be in Britain later today.

A luxury Range Rover believed to be carrying the British Royal Family was spotted arriving at LAX's VIP terminal last night and it is claimed it had boarded the earliest flight and could be in London by lunchtime.

Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams said: 'I am sure Harry will now put the past aside on this serious issue. The Royal Family – including the Sussexes – is so important that everyone is moving in the right direction.”

The King spent last night at home in London after starting outpatient treatment for cancer – as family and friends revealed the monarch remains 'tremendously positive' following his bombshell diagnosis.