As King Charles continues his recovery, how Prince Philip battled heart ... trends now
The good news about the King's cancer treatment today has been a welcome ray of light after months of speculation about the state of Charles' health and Kate's own diagnosis.
The Palace revealed today that the King has responded well to his medical regime following his cancer diagnosis in February.
The Princess of Wales is continuing her own treatment, which includes a regime of 'preventative' chemotherapy.
But the pair are by no means the first members of the Royal Family to face health battles.
The late Queen Mother was secretly twice treated for cancer - once in 1966 when she had a tumour removed from her colon and again in 1984 when the royal had a cancerous growth excised from her breast.
In the final decade of his life, Prince Philip had several stays in hospital, the last of which was to treat a pre-existing heart condition. He died in April 2021, just a few weeks after leaving hospital for the final time.
And Charles's early openness about his diagnosis is itself a sharp contrast from the final months of King George VI, who passed away 72 years ago after suffering from lung cancer.
The condition was kept secret from the King himself, who died five months after having part of his left lung removed.
The good news about the King's cancer treatment today has been a welcome ray of light after months of speculation about the state of Charles' health and Kate's own diagnosis. Above: The King and Queen Camilla attending church at Sandringham on February 4
Prince Philip, who died aged 99 in April 2021, enjoyed remarkably good health until the final decade of his life.
He did a break a bone in his left ankle in 1961 after a collision on the polo field and in 1963 suffered a gash to his arm that needed stitches.
The Duke also fell from his pony in 1964, pulling a ligament in the process.
His first publicly reported surgery was to remove a cyst from his wrist in 1967, whilst in 1987 he was hospitalised to repair a hernia.
He also had a small benign growth removed in 1997.
Prince Philip, who died aged 99 in April 2021, enjoyed remarkably good health until the final decade of his life. Above: Prince Philip leaving hospital in March 2021. He died the following month
It was at the age of 90 that the first serious health news emerged about Philip, when he was rushed to hospital in December 2011 after suffering from chest pains.
The Duke had surgery to treat a blocked coronary artery and spent four days in hospital.
In June 2012, Philip went back to hospital for six days after developing a urinary infection during the river pageant to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.
The following year, he spent 11 days in hospital for abdominal surgery to treat an undisclosed condition. He spent his 92nd birthday in hospital.
In June 2017, the Duke of Edinburgh was back in hospital as a 'precautionary measure' for an infection arising from a pre-existing condition.
In 2013, Prince Philip spent 11 days in hospital for abdominal surgery to treat an undisclosed condition. He turned 92 while being treated. Above: The Duke of Edinburgh leaving the London Clinic following his treatment in 2013
In April 2018, he spent nearly a fortnight in hospital following a successful hip replacement.
And in December 2019, Philip was again treated in hospital for his pre-existing but undisclosed condition.
His longest hospital stay, which began in February 2021, turned out to be his last.
Prince Philip underwent a procedure to treat a pre-existing heart condition and ultimately spent four weeks in hospital.
He was pictured waving to well-wishers when he left in-patient care but then passed away on April 9, just two months before his 100th birthday.
The Queen MotherFor much of her life, the Queen Mother remained remarkably robust.
But in the twilight years of her life before her death aged 101 in 2002, she did suffer from a series of ailments.
As well as persistent ulcers on her left legs, she suffered problems with her hips which made walking difficult.
This led to an initial hip replacement in 1995. In 1998, she had to have her other hip replaced after breaking it in a fall.
In the year 2000, she fractured her collar bone after tripping and falling at Clarence House .
For much of her life, the Queen Mother remained remarkably robust. But in the twilight years of her life before her death aged 101 in 2002, she did suffer from a series of ailments. Above: Leaving the King Edward VII Hospital after having surgery to replace her left hip
And in July 2001 she was admitted to the King Edward VII Hospital and given a blood transfusion after being diagnosed with anaemia.
The health problems in her final years came after she was confined to her bed for a week in September 1942 while suffering from acute bronchitis.
In February 1964, the Queen Mother was admitted to hospital for an emergency operation to treat appendicitis.
In November 1982 the royal had another stay in hospital to remove a fish bone from her throat.
She spent a further three nights in hospital in May 1993 to remove a piece of salmon that was obstructing her throat.
The condition forced her to cancel a planned visit to Canada and a tour of New Zealand and Australia.
The Queen Mother also had her own private cancer battle. This was revealed in historian William Shawcross's 2009 biography of the royal.
He told how she had to have a tumour removed from her colon in 1966 and in 1984 had a cancerous growth removed from her breast.
In July 2001 she was admitted to the King Edward VII Hospital and given a blood transfusion after being diagnosed with anaemia
In February 1964, the Queen Mother was admitted to hospital for an emergency operation to treat appendicitis
The late Queen generally had robust health throughout her life.
She was diagnosed with coronavirus in February 2022 and in the months before her death there was increasing concern about her mobility after she missed the State Opening of Parliament.
In October 2021 she spent a night in hospital for an undisclosed reason, after cancelling a planned visit to Northern Ireland.
Buckingham Palace said at the time that she was admitted for 'preliminary investigations'.
The late Queen generally had robust health throughout her life. She was diagnosed with coronavirus in February 2022 and in the months before her death there was increasing concern about her mobility after she missed the State Opening of Parliament
It was her first overnight stay in hospital in eight years. The previous time was an admission for gastroenteritis.
Author Giles Brandreth told in his book, which was released shortly after the Queen's death, that he had heard Her Late Majesty was suffering from a form of myeloma - bone marrow cancer.
He said this may have explained her tiredness and 'mobility issues' that the public were often told about.
However, esteemed royal writer Robert Hardman revealed in his recent book that the Queen slipped away peacefully from old age.
The Queen spent time in hospital in 2013 to treat a bout of gastroenteritis. Above: The monarch leaving hospital in March 2013
Although King George VI was in largely good health for most of his reign, his heavy smoking ultimately took a toll.
In September 1951, he had his left lung removed for was referred to at the time as 'structural abnormalities'.
In reality, it was due to cancer, but the King's doctors kept this diagnosis both from the public and the monarch himself.
Although King George VI was in largely good health for most of his reign, his heavy smoking ultimately took a toll
King George VI talks with his younger daughter Princess Margaret as the pair head to Balmoral in May 1951
Although he did seem to be recovering from the procedure, the King died suddenly from a coronary thrombosis - or blood clot in the blood vessels or arteries of the heart - five months later, in February 1952.
Before he was treated for lung cancer the King also grappled with issues with his arteries which in 1949 nearly saw him lose his right leg when he developed an arterial blockage.
This led to the postponing of a planned tour of New Zealand and Australia.
George's death was a shock to the public and the Royal Family.
He had waved goodbye to his 25-year-old daughter and heiress, Elizabeth, just a few weeks before as she left to visit Kenya.
News of her father's death, and her immediate accession to the throne, reached the Queen while she
