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By Shane Croucher
Senior Editor
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Britain's King Charles III has written a private letter to former President Joe Biden, Buckingham Palace said, following the latter's diagnosis of an aggressive form of prostate cancer, which has metastasized to his bones.
The king, 76, who has met Biden a number of times, is also receiving treatment for an unspecified type of cancer after his diagnosis in January 2024. He began regular chemotherapy in February, which he receives approximately weekly.
Biden's Cancer Diagnosis
Biden, 82, was diagnosed on Friday after recent urinary symptoms prompted further medical evaluation, resulting in the discovery of a prostate nodule, his office said.
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He was diagnosed with prostate cancer characterized by a Gleason score of 9 (Grade Group 5)—the highest risk category. As the cancer had already metastasized to his bones, it was a Stage 4 diagnosis.
According to his office's statement, "while this represents a more aggressive form of the disease, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive which allows for effective management."
He and his family are reviewing treatment strategies with physicians, Biden's office said.
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King Charles on 'Frightening Experience'
The contents of the king's letter were not revealed, but he has spoken about his own experience with cancer before.
"Each diagnosis, each new case, will be a daunting and at times frightening experience for those individuals and their loved ones," King Charles said in a message of support to cancer groups at a Buckingham Palace reception in April.
"But as one among those statistics myself, I can vouch for the fact that it can also be an experience that brings into sharp focus the very best of humanity.
"It has certainly given me an even deeper appreciation of the extraordinary work undertaken by the remarkable organisations and individuals gathered here this evening, many of whom I have known, visited and supported over the years.
"And it has reinforced what I have long observed during these visits—that the darkest moments of illness can be illuminated by the greatest compassion."
Biden Opens Up About Cancer
Biden addressed his diagnosis directly in a post on social media on Monday morning.
"Cancer touches us all. Like so many of you, Jill and I have learned that we are strongest in the broken places. Thank you for lifting us up with love and support," Biden wrote.
The message was accompanied by a selfie of the former president and his wife, former first lady Jill Biden, along with their cat.
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Critics Question Biden's Health Timeline
There are now questions about how long Biden and his medical team have been aware that he had prostate cancer, and if that dated back to his presidency, which ended in January 2025. Biden had a cancerous lesion removed from his chest while in office.
Biden's health, namely in relation to cognitive decline, came under scrutiny, especially during a disastrous debate performance against Donald Trump during the early stages of the 2024 campaign.
The performance crystallized public concerns about Biden's health, and he pulled out of the presidential race to be replaced by Kamala Harris, his vice president.
There is a growing call for transparency about who inside the White House knew what about Biden's health and when, with Republicans accusing Democratic officials of covering up the truth about an elderly president who they say was unable to properly govern.
"I don't think he was able to do a good job for the American people. And that's not politics. That's not because I disagreed with him on policy. That's because I don't think that he was in good enough health," Vice President JD Vance said on Monday.
"In some ways, I blame him less than I blame the people around him. And why didn't the American people have a better sense of his health picture? Why didn't the American people have more accurate information about what he was actually dealing with?
"This is serious stuff. This is the guy who carries around the nuclear football for the world's largest nuclear arsenal."
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