King Charles 'doing well' after prostate treatment

Monarch entered the London Clinic on Friday with Queen Camilla at his side

King Charles was treated at the London hospital where Kate, Princess of Wales had abdominal surgery. AP

Britain's King Charles is “doing well” after hospital treatment for an enlarged prostate, Queen Camilla said on Friday.

The king, 75, entered the London hospital where Kate, Princess of Wales had successful abdominal surgery last week, with the queen at his side on Friday morning.

Queen Camilla left the private London Clinic at 3.10pm, smiling at reporters before getting into a car. She told people inside the hospital: “He's doing well, thank you.”

The king visited the Princess of Wales, 42, who is recovering at the hospital following her operation.

A Buckingham Palace spokesman said: “The king was this morning admitted to a London hospital for scheduled treatment.

“His Majesty would like to thank all those who have sent their good wishes over the past week and is delighted to learn that his diagnosis is having a positive impact on public health awareness.”

The king arrived back in London from the Sandringham estate in Norfolk on Thursday afternoon, ready for the procedure.

He was diagnosed with the benign condition on January 17 while staying at Birkhall in Scotland, after going for a check-up because he was experiencing symptoms.

He is understood to have wanted to share the news to encourage other men to get themselves checked.

The king, who acceded to throne 16 months ago, cancelled engagements and was urged to rest by his doctors ahead of the corrective procedure.

The queen had previously said her husband was “fine” and looking forward to getting back to work.

News of his diagnosis came on the same day that Kensington Palace announced the Princess of Wales was in hospital after undergoing major abdominal surgery.

She is not expected to carry out official engagements until after Easter, with the Prince of Wales clearing his diary for the time being.

One in every three men over the age of 50 will have symptoms of an enlarged prostate. These include the need to visit the toilet more frequently, with more urgency, as well as difficulty emptying the bladder.

An enlarged prostate, known as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), does not usually pose a serious threat to health, and it is not cancer.

But patients may need to have several tests for the condition to rule out the possibility they have another illness with similar symptoms, such as prostate cancer.

Surgery is usually only recommended for moderate to severe symptoms that have not responded to medicine, the NHS website says.

Treatment can include a number of procedures, including removing part of the prostate gland with a laser, ablation that uses pressurised water to destroy prostate tissue, or urethral lift implants that hold the enlarged prostate away from the urethra so it is not blocked.

Other options include a prostate artery embolisation, during which tiny plastic particles are injected into blood vessels to shrink the prostate gland by reducing its blood supply.

NHS England said the “enlarged prostate” page on the NHS website received one visit every five seconds on the day the king’s diagnosis was announced, with further huge boosts in visits in the days that followed.