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Quest Means Business
Buckingham Palace: King Charles III diagnosed with cancer; Royal source: cancer unrelated to king's enlarged prostate. Political Leaders React To King Charles' Cancer Diagnosis; L.A. Area Faces "Extremely Dangerous Situation"; More Than 100 Killed By Raging Wildfires In Chile; Source: Prince William Is In Regular Contact With His Father. Aired 3-4p ET
Aired February 05, 2024 - 15:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[15:00:40]
PAULA NEWTON, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Paul Newton in New York. I want to thank you for joining us, and we begin tonight with breaking news.
Buckingham Palace says King Charles has been diagnosed with cancer. It says it was discovered during the King's recent treatment for an enlarged
prostate. The palace says it is not, in fact, though, prostate cancer, although it did not specify which type of cancer he has. The King,
meantime, is postponing his public engagements, all of them. Buckingham Palace says he came forward to prevent speculation and raise cancer
awareness.
We want to go straight to our Nada Bashir who's been following all of this from London. You know, safe to say, shocking news and disquieting news
after for so many, not just there in Britain, but around the world. You know, bring us right up to date about what the palace is saying, but
crucially not saying as well.
NADA BASHIR, CNN REPORTER: Yes, absolutely. There has been a degree of transparency that we have seen now from Buckingham Palace with regards to
the health conditions be faced by King Charles III. He was, of course, discharged just last week from hospital after undergoing procedure and
treatment for what is now said to have been a nine enlarged prostate, according to a royal source. This is now not being treated as prostate
cancer.
But as we understand it, according to Buckingham Palace, it was during that procedure that doctors noted concerns other areas and identified a form of
cancer. But crucially, there are no details from Buckingham Palace with regards to specifically what kind of cancer King Charles III has been
diagnosed with nor what stage of cancer he has been diagnosed with. This has, of course, raised some concern.
As we understand, he will be now taking a step back from public-facing duties as he undergoes treatment for cancer. However, according to
Buckingham Palace, he is still expected to carry on with state business and paperwork as usual. This will be, of course, carried out in private. No
public-facing engagements expected to take placed, but we may well see other senior members over the royal family, namely the Prince of Wales,
Prince William, taking up further responsibility, perhaps stepping up.
Although important to note that in this statement from Buckingham Palace, they have noted that those public-facing engagements have been postponed,
that King Charles is hoping to return to those engagements as soon as possible. But in this statement, of course, they have said that King
Charles III is in good spirits.
He says -- they say he remains wholly positive about his treatment and looks forward to returning to full public duty as soon as possible, adding
that he is grateful to his medical team for their swift intervention, which was made possible, thanks to his recent hospital procedure -- Paula.
NEWTON: Yes, a lot said there and yet a lot that remains unsaid. Are they saying exactly how quickly his treatment might begin? And I'm also
wondering what the reaction has been, crucially, from the British government there.
BASHIR: Oh, with regards to the treatment, there isn't a clear timeline just yet. Buckingham Palace has said that his treatment has commenced
today. He is undergoing a series of treatments. It is understood, unclear exactly what sort of treatment or how long that will take. Again, no
details as to the form of cancer nor the stage of cancer at this stage, but he is undergoing treatment. That has commenced today. And of course, as
we've heard from Buckingham Palace, they have said that King Charles III is hopeful that he can return to those public-facing duties as soon as
possible.
Now, of course, there has been reaction from the British government. We have heard from the British Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak. He took to X,
formerly known as Twitter, posting that he wishes his Majesty a full and speedy recovery, that he has no doubt that he will be back to full strength
in no time. I know the whole country will be wishing him well.
We also heard from the leader of the opposition, Keir Starmer, saying that on behalf of the opposition Labour Party, I wish his Majesty all the very
best for his recovery. We look forward to seeing him back to full health swiftly.
Of course, we have also heard from the US President Joe Biden. He spoke to reporters just a little earlier. He did say that he was concerned about the
health conditions being faced by King Charles III. He said he had just heard about his diagnosis. This was said in Las Vegas when he was asked by
reporters about this development. He has said that he is expecting to speak to King Charles III very soon.
But again, this is a person, the King Charles III, a monarch who is not only a significant figure here in the United Kingdom, but somebody who has
a long history of close relations with many in the international community.
NEWTON: Yes, Nada Bashir for us in London. I know you'll continue to keep us update as the story continues to develop. Thank you. And as you just
heard Nada say, a royal source tell CNN that the King now is back in London.
[15:05:01]
Interesting here, though, that he has started outpatient cancer treatment and has not so far been readmitted to hospital. Now, remember, Charles --
King Charles was at a private clinic last month to get treatment for an enlarged prostate.
It was during that time that doctors noted a, quote, "separate issue of concern." Tests then showed it was, in fact, cancer. Buckingham Palace did
not say what type of cancer it is.
Dr. Megan Ranney is with us. She is the Dean of the Yale School of Public Health. And always good to have you on board, especially when we start to
hear about this news about someone, of course, who is well known-all around the world, but also this brings the details of his diagnosis to a very
intimate level, right? Millions upon millions around the world have either gone through this or have family members who have. So help us here. Walk us
through this.
He went in for a routine procedure. He does not have prostate cancer. So what could have happened here? How would they have identified what cancer
it might be?
MEGAN RANNEY, DEAN, YALE SCHOOL OF MEDICINE: And, Paula, first and foremost, my heart goes out to King Charles III, the entire royal family
and, of course, the people of Britain and the UK. And, to me, this highlights just how important it is for all of us to have regular screening
and primary care physician visits.
What likely happened here is King Charles went in for screening. It was found that he had an enlarged prostate, probably because of symptoms. As
many older men know, as you get older, you sometimes have trouble urinating or you have frequent urination. You have to wake up in the middle of the
night. Those are all things that can be either benign prostate enlargement or can be symptoms of something more serious.
King Charles then appropriately went on and got further testing to evaluate whether it was something to not worry about, which is what the prostate has
ended up being, or if it were cancer. And somehow in that process, it sounds like they found another cancer.
Now, of course, we don't know what kind of cancer he has been diagnosed with, but we suspect that it's probably something urologic. So bladder or
something else related to the reproductive system or that kind of lower portion of your body. You know, we're all waiting to hear exactly what
diagnosis he got.
The last part is, once a cancer has been diagnosed, you have to figure out has it spread. And so, part of my suspicion is that he had a biopsy or some
other screening test a month ago, and since then has likely been having some other testing to try to figure out how advanced the cancer is, which
then helps his team to decide what the most appropriate next step is in treatment.
NEWTON: You know, he's 75, otherwise, in good health. Is there any reason do you believe that they haven't disclosed what kind of cancer it might be
so far?
RANNEY: Well, gosh, I'm just relieved that they diagnosed or released the information that he has cancer at all. The royal family is notoriously
reticent to talk about health problems.
And so, the fact that he's acknowledging cancer, especially today, the day after World Cancer Day, I think is so significant and is a statement about
King Charles's commitment to his position elevating the health and well- being of the people of the United Kingdom.
When we're going to know more, I mean, that's really up to them. He certainly has, in many ways, every right to the privacy that any of us have
a right to. Although one would argue that, as a monarch, perhaps the people of the United Kingdom have a right to know a bit more about him in his
public-facing role.
NEWTON: Yes, as you said, I'm sure everyone wishing him well and giving him a measure of privacy. But he is, in fact, a head of state in not just,
you know, Britain, but in other countries across the Commonwealth.
You bring up such a good point, though, and you are a public health professional. We've been hearing from you from years now Obviously, given
what happened at COVID, but now there is that other epidemic, which so many of us feel like it is an epidemic, it's cancer. How important do you
believe it is that they continue to be as forthcoming as they can be about the type of cancer and how it was diagnosed?
RANNEY: I think it is unbelievably important for two reasons. The first is by being honest about what kind of cancer it is and what sort of
treatment he's undergoing. It destigmatizes the diagnosis and treatment, which matters so much. I mean, it wasn't so long ago that doctors and
family members would hide the diagnosis of cancer from their patients because it was thought to be a horrible word or a reflection on someone's
lifestyle.
We know now that, of course, lifestyle like smoking can increase your risk of cancer, but there are also random genetic mutations and just bad luck.
So the first part is by talking about it; he destigmatizes it.
The second part is by being honest, he can hopefully encourage more people to go and get screened. We know that, unfortunately, rates of screening for
cancer have dropped precipitously across the United States and the globe, partly due to COVID-related health, partly because everybody's lives are
crazy right now as we come out of COVID, but those screenings help us to catch cancer early and thereby help us to prevent progression and literally
save lives. So by his talking openly about it, he hopefully he can get more people screened.
NEWTON: Yes, and it's a good raise unless let's any of us forget how compromised health care systems have been since the pandemic and the fact
that all of us lucky enough to have a health care system actually use it.
Before I let you go, in terms of advances in treatment here, you know, from everything you've reviewed in the last decade, is this good news? I mean, I
know you don't know the kind of cancer, we don't know what the prognosis is, but in general, have, you know, great strides been made in this kind of
treatment?
RANNEY: Absolutely, and yes, we don't know what kind of cancer it is yet. But if I put on my emergency physician hat, my ER doctor hat, as well as my
public health hat, we've made tremendous strides in the last decade, both in diagnosing cancer earlier when we screened for it appropriately with a
mammogram, colonoscopy, prostate screening, and so on. And we've also made great strides in terms of the types of treatment we can offer and in terms
of life expectancy.
We have precision chemo now that goes directly after the genetic mutation that causes cancer. We have ways to combine chemo and surgery and radiation
to try to decrease the side effects of treatment and to prolong life.
There are a lot of things we can do today that we couldn't have done a decade ago much less two decades ago, but, of course, the first step is
getting the diagnosis.
NEWTON: Yes, Dr. Ranney, so much good insight there and information, really appreciate it. Thanks so much for being with us.
Now, coming up for us, we'll talk about what King Charles' diagnosis means for his eldest son, Prince William. Of course, he's next in line to the
throne.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NEWTON: And back to our top story this hour. King Charles has been diagnosed with cancer. Buckingham Palace says the king is postponing his
public engagements.
There's now speculation that other royals will now step up to fill his place. Prince William has also temporarily stepped away from his
engagements to support his wife as she recovers from abdominal surgery. Prince Henry's office, meantime, says he has spoken with his father about
the diagnosis and will travel to the UK to see the king in the coming days.
Max Foster is with us now from London and again closely you follow these events, Max, I'm wondering what sticks out to you. I mean, I can tell you,
I was surprised to hear that he had already been in London receiving treatment. And that it's obviously something that treatment must start
right away. It's at least as serious as that.
MAX FOSTER, HOST, "CNN NEWSROOM": Yes, so he's not in hospital, he is at home at Clarence House just down the road from here, and he's been treated
as an outpatient, which would suggest he would be possibly taking visits to hospital, but he has got a team of specialists, I'm told in addition to the
palace medical team and in addition to his own private doctor as well. So he couldn't be having better treatment.
We are not being told obviously the precise condition that he's got, what sort of cancer it is. So we're then looking at, you know, what we can glean
from the information that I've been told. There is the fact that he's at home. The fact that I've been told that he's going to continue with his
weekly audiences with the Prime Minister. He's going to be able to carry out those key constitutional duties like signing new laws and appointing
ministers.
So those key jobs he will be able to do, he just won't be appearing in public with his, you know, very busy schedule of arrangements around all
those charities. I know that you've reported on as well. You know how busy he actually is. I think it must be driving him crazy to be stuck at home,
but that's the situation he's found himself in because the doctors are saying you can't carry on with your public duties.
And I think he will be out of action for some time even if he improves rapidly because we're expecting him to be out of action for a few weeks
anyway because of his procedure relating to his enlarged prostate. And, you know, he's now got this added complication.
So I think that, you know, the face of the monarchy is going to change right now. And we are going to have to see -- well, we are going to see
more of Queen Camilla and Prince William as they step up to ultimately do what their job is, which is represent the monarchy. And if the king isn't
around, they're frankly going to have to do it.
NEWTON: Yes. And, Max, have you you've reminded us many times that one of the things with King Charles is that he didn't want to leave the burden --
we'll call it that of the royal family business to his son who is trying to raise three young children and at the same time now has a wife who is also
recovering from her own ailment. You know, give us a sense of what the intimacy of this royal family, what it means when you've got essentially a
crisis like this and that there aren't many people here to kind of step up.
FOSTER: Well, basically, you know, it's been slimmed down massively, hasn't it? Obviously, Queen Elizabeth died, but we also had before that
Prince Harry and Meghan leading their role roles. We had Prince Andrew being forced out of his royal role, and it's been slimmed down.
And we have the Princess of Wales currently out of action and recuperating at Windsor because she had an operation. Prince William was also out of
action because he was supporting her, but he's now having to step up again.
And Queen Camilla, you know, she's in her 70s. She hasn't got as busy a schedule as the others, but she's now going to have to step up as well. So
a lot of pressure on the remaining members of the royal family.
And it is the senior royals that people want to see. It is Camilla, Kate, the King and William. So whilst Prince Edward and Princess Anne are also
working royals, they don't have the same heft. So it does really fall on William now and Camilla to step up and really push the monarchy forward.
They -- the monarchy represents continuity. If politics is chaotic, they are the stability. That is their job. They have to be seen, you know, they
have to be seen to be believed. That's what the Queen Elizabeth used to always say. And that's going to be really front of the palace's mind right
now and also members of the royal family whilst making sure they're in constant contact with the king.
I know that Harry's in touch with the king. Harry's going to fly over and see him. And Prince William is in regular contact with the king as well. So
he's been closely monitored, although I don't get a massive sense of alarm right now.
NEWTON: Right. And they -- Max, likely like other families are waiting to hear more details of exactly what the prognosis is, you know, so many of us
having been in these shoes before in terms of waiting for that information to see exactly what you're dealing with.
I'm interested though, you know, to get your sense. This was an ambitious king in terms of what he wanted, not just for Britain, but for other parts
of the Commonwealth. He did have international travel scheduled. You'd have to think that'd be put off for quite some time now.
FOSTER: Schedule but not announced, so they're going to reschedule all of those. You know, we would have expected him to be going on a tour, you
know, in the coming months. And that will be pushed further into the year.
Obviously, William and Kate's tour that would have come as well has also been rescheduled. So they're not going to be on the international stage in
the same way. So certainly, you know, this is the king's first year as monarch. He was expecting to spend a lot of time in the public eye to
establish himself and step into those enormous shoes, which were Queen Elizabeth, of course. He's got a monarch.
He was expecting to spend a lot of time in the public eye to establish himself and step into those enormous shoes, which were Queen Elizabeth's,
of course. He's got a huge amount to live up to in that sense. But he, you know, he's going to be very frustrated, I imagine, not being able to work.
And I imagine they'll be very keen to get back to work. And people are telling me that he's already talking like that. But the key thing is that
he carries out those key constitutional duties, and he's able to do that, I'm told.
[00:00:27] FOSTER: Yes, and it is important that he is able to continue with those duties. Max Foster for us in front of Buckingham Palace. Thank you.
And we want to go now to historian and royal expert Kate Williams.
And, Kate, as you continue to digest this information along with the rest of us, we are very far from business as usual with this royal family after
years of steady, predictable reign from the Queen, of course.
I want to talk to you about three very different areas in terms of royal duties and how they'll be affected. So firstly, let's think about Britain
here. How concerned is the country at this hour? Is there shock here or disquiet and acceptance, thinking, well, this happens to many people?
KATE WILLIAMS, CNN ROYAL HISTORIAN: I think there is shock. I think there's a huge amount of shock or the newspapers. It's the headline. It'll
be on all the newspaper headlines tomorrow morning. It's breaking news on all the TV channels. Social media is really talking about it nonstop. You
know, not people. Everyone I know is texting me about it.
It is serious, surprising news. And I think people are just very shocked because the King went into hospital for a very routine operation in large
prostate. It's very routine. It's a routine. Many men experience this condition.
And, of course, we saw him coming out of hospital. We saw him in Sandringham. He looked in great spirits. Camilla, when she was asked about
his health on Thursday, said he was doing his best. It seemed to me he was in good form. We expected to see him back on his feet doing engagements in
a couple of weeks.
But the actual -- what we've been told is very different during his routine treatment. The doctors did find evidence of cancer, not prostate cancer,
but a different cancer. And he is having this treatment for it, which may be quite serious, difficult treatment. We don't know what it is, but the
outpatient treatments.
And so therefore, we aren't going to see the King at all, I don't think. It maybe we won't see him until after Easter, which is the prognosis we have
for not seeing Catherine, Princess of Wales.
Really? We will be seeing mainly William and all of the royal family firm, all of the royal family business, is going to fall on William's shoulders.
And that is a lot of work for him to do.
NEWTON: Yes, and I'm sure at every turn, you will also be asked a course about how his father is doing, not to mention his partner, Kate. But I also
want to ask you about King Charles' constitutional duties and how crucial is it that they are saying that he will continue for now to be able to
continue with those very important government duties?
WILLIAMS: The King's ultimate duty is to be head of state and also head of the church, but his ultimate duty is to be head of state not -- it's not
the waving, it's not the engagements. That's what his key role is. And we've been told explicitly that that is not going to be compromised. He
will be doing it from home. He'll be doing it in the same way that the Queen did the role during the pandemic on the phone, on the online court,
on the online court as well. So it will proceed like that.
There's no need for someone to step in for him. Because if he was not able to do these. He said it's only so much that he can do online forms, may be.
But, in some cases, William may have to step beyond another occasion.
But certainly, this is unprecedented with the Queen. She was in such wonderful health, and she really was in wonderful health. It wasn't until
the end. We have to remember she installed this next prime minister mistrust two days before she passed away. And we didn't even know that she
was ill until on the that she actually did pass away.
We are having a much more transparent monarchy now, but also a monarchy in which they're saying that it's not the same as the Queen. We are perhaps
more vulnerable and more fragile. And there are fewer offers. The Queen had so many backup royals, Charles does not. And we are seeing the consequence.
Okay, slimmed down -- policy of slimming down the royal family, in a sense that there aren't that many royals now to pick up the duties.
[15:25:01]
NEWTON: Yes, and to some extent, I hear you we're kind of in uncharted waters, especially given that he's the head of state of Britain, and not
just Britain, but other countries as well. I do want to get to the more intimate family reaction here though. Prince William dealing with
challenges of his own, Queen Camilla now has to continue and obviously be brave and continue with her duties, even though I'm sure it weighs on her
in terms of prognosis and our husband is doing.
You know, and not to mention the Harry and Meghan of it all. You know, Harry is apparently going to see his father, not in the coming weeks, but
in the coming days. What does that tell you?
WILLIAMS: Yes, Harry is, as we understand, he's spoken to his father. He is going to fly over it. Maybe that he's flying over at present. I mean, he
may be going to LA Airport and getting on that plane. It obviously suggests how close he is to his father. Bill's how important this is, and they don't
want us to worry, but, clearly, Harry wants to come over immediately to see his father. And I completely agree with you. This is a family.
And I also feel it's tough on Charles, isn't it, because he's been Prince, he was Prince of Wales for so many years. He became King last year, and he
hasn't really been in the job very long. And now he has to take this extended period of illness leave, because this condition has come upon him.
So yes, the Queen and she's stepping up. And Harry, I think we may see him with Charles, but we may see, we certainly see him arrive. So we are
reminded that this is a family, but also it's a business. And in both Charles is the head of the family, and he's also head of the business, but
he is he is going to be absent from our screens, but he is still there as part of the family.
NEWTON: Kate, do you believe that Buckingham Palace will chart new territory in terms of disclosures here? We don't know the type of cancer,
but they did come forward to say that, you know, he's getting treatment and will continue without patient treatment.
WILLIAMS: Yes, it's interesting because the Queen's father, George VI, he had very serious lung cancer, and we weren't told we no one had any idea,
even Princess Elizabeth, the future Queen herself, didn't know, and that's why she was away in Kenya when she became Queen. No one knew.
(Inaudible) the Queen, whether she had health problems or not, we didn't know. With Charles, he's being very transparent. He's saying it's I've got
them, but it's fine. But I think very clearly, he doesn't want to hide anything.
But also, these are uncharted waters, and it's been the question that the royal family have wrestled with throughout the 21st and 20th century. How
much information to give? It can't be like the 18th century, when no one knew that George III was suffering from mental illness. It was all kept
hush hush. It you know, this is a different world we're living in, but how much do we give? And if we give some, do still people keep wanting more and
more? And I think the big point is that it's very hard to keep secrets in this modern social media 24-hour age. There are lots of people who have all
kinds of information.
And I do actually think that Charles, perhaps maybe six months or in a year in the future, will tell us what form of cancer he has been suffering from,
perhaps through the medium of the charity that works with the sufferers of the condition. But I think that at this point, when you're head of state,
you can't keep it secret. And I think eventually we will be told.
NEWTON: Yes, and perhaps sooner rather than later, they perhaps want to get more information. We have had though, Kate, of course, public health
officials tell us as well that it would do a lot of good for them to be, you know, as forthcoming as possible in terms of the diagnosis and the
treatment.
Kate Williams, you will stand by for us as we continue to get more information.
Coming up for us now, political leaders around the world, of course, are expressing their support for King Charles as he begins his treatment for
cancer.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:32:39]
PAULA NEWTON, CNN HOST: And returning now to our top story, leaders from the U.K. and elsewhere wishing King Charles a speedy recovery from cancer.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he has no doubt the king will be back to full strength in no time. And President Biden says he's concerned about
him.
The Labour leader meantime, Welsh First Minister, Scottish First Minister, and others of course, all sharing their support.
I want to bring in our Isa Soares who is in London and following all of this reaction. And Isa, of course, it's not just, you know, local reaction
there in Britain, but international reaction that has been coming in rather swiftly. King Charles is the head of state and countries outside of Britain
and of course, so many now wishing him well.
Interesting though, that Joe Biden, the president did mention that he was concerned.
ISA SOARES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: He did, he did say he was concerned. And we've also heard the last few hours from -- in the last few minutes I
should say, from Justin Trudeau, who said, I, like Canadians across the country and people around the world, I'm thinking of His Majesty, King
Charles III as he undergoes treatment for cancer, we are sending him our very best wishes, and hoping for a fast and full recovery.
We have heard also from Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, the Labour opposition leader Keir Starmer, all basically saying -- Rishi Sunak, I'm not sure if
we've got the statement here saying, we wish him, the king, of full and speedy recovery but pointed, hoping to see him back on his feet. No doubt
he'll be back with full strength in no time and that the whole country will be wishing him well.
And Paula, this is -- look, this is a scary diagnosis, no doubt, terrifying. And yes, it is a business, the monarchy but it's also a family.
This is a man going through an ordeal and doing so publicly. So, I think it's -- these messages of support are incredibly important.
But what we have heard today shows a very different side, of course, the monarchy that, you know, you and I and many of our viewers are not used to
seeing.
Remember, the former Queen, she's never taken a day off sick, we didn't even know to this day what the Queen died off.
So, this transparency, this openness. In many ways, it's good to know they're providing a lot of information but there's a lot we still do not
know.
So, there is an element of shock and surprise to many people in this country especially hearing -- after hearing of course that he's diagnosed
with cancer, the King was diagnosed with cancer, then hearing as well that Prince Harry was traveling to visit his father, to be with his father.
Of course, that straightaway sets up huge concerns within the British public. And the mood here, it seems to everyone to be taking away, of
course concerned for his health, Paula, but the signs we are -- we are seeing from the royal family, from that statement from Buckingham Palace
does seem to show look, constitutionally, nothing changes Paula. I think that's how I interpreted that letter.
[15:35:20]
But we'll see less royal presence from the King, his constitutional challenges, his constitutional job still goes on, right. Kingship is much
about -- a lot of it is about paperwork, I've been told. So, he will still get his red, black and blue boxes, he will still be signing papers, he will
still be briefing papers, he will sign in new laws. So, that will still be happening.
But it will mean that we won't be seeing him and so much of it, the visibility aspect of the monarchy is so important. So, I think in the days
ahead, we will start to see Paula, the stepping up of the slimmed down monarchy that we've been seeing. We will be seeing more of Prince William
of course, he has been busy of course with his wife, Princess of Wales who's also been unwell. We've also be seeing more of the Queen Consort,
said they will need to step up.
But clearly, a message here from the King, saying, look, being open, being transparent. He even said in that statement, Paula, that I want -- his
Majesty has chosen to share his diagnosis to prevent speculation.
And in the hope, he makes his public understanding for those around the world who were affected by cancer. He is a patron, Paula, of a number of
cancer charities, he would have known. You would have heard so from so many families of how terrifying that all to must be of hearing families going
through all that treatment and what that might be like.
So, I think that shows a different side to this monarchy, this openness, this -- that we're not used to seeing.
NEWTON: And certainly the evidence there, that times have changed and that they do have to move on with that. But you were so right to remind us of
the great health of the Queen, her longevity, the fact that she represented so much stability.
And then, Isa, this family has gone through a lot in a very short period of time.
SOARES: And remember -- absolutely, and remember, he's only been carrying for what a year or so. So, it hasn't been that long. But he's work ethic,
Paula, is just incredible. He loves what he does. He loves meeting people and I'm guessing that this must be incredibly hard for him not being able
to have that public facing, not being out with people, meeting these charities, this will be so hard for him.
But like you said, for the public, even for the public, we're not used to, Paula, not know -- I mean, we're just take it for granted, we rarely know
this information from the Royals, we've just always assumed, we don't know, we don't know what's going on. And that is the case the Queen has never
been off sick. We didn't even know what the Queen died off, right? Remember this.
So, getting this transparency, this new sign, this openness is important. But clearly, it's a message that says two things. One, I'm in charge, I'm
in control, this is what is going to happen. This are the changes to expect. I'm here, I'm still active, I'm still going to be constitutionally
nothing changes.
But bear in mind, I'm one -- I'm a normal human being. I'm one of many people around the world who are diagnosed with cancer.
And worth bearing in mind, he will have an incredibly strong team of doctors around him. He's at home, we've been told. He will be getting
treatment. And he'll have the support this family and I think the fact that Harry is coming here, Paula, I think that's a sign of course, we haven't
seen him since I think June last year, that unity, that strength of the monarchy will also be able to be visible. I think that's really important.
But you're right that this family has gone through so much. But the King is a hard worker, he loves what he does. He stays up very late, I'm being
told, writing all these statements. And so, this will be incredibly hard for him.
But the message is very clear, indeed. That nothing changes here, constitutionally, at least.
NEWTON: And not to mention the fact that there was all about soft diplomacy. I know he had a lot of ambitions in that area coming in the next
few years and obviously wanting to get back to that as soon as possible.
Isa Soares for us in London, really appreciate that perspective.
Coming up for us, people in Chile describing hellish scenes from wildfires that have killed more than 120 people.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:42:06]
NEWTON: More than a half million homes and businesses are without power in California after torrential rain in the southern part of the state. Now,
downtown Los Angeles, think about this, recorded its rainiest day in the last 20 years on Sunday. And yes, there's more showers today.
Authorities in some areas are warning of life threatening landslides and flash flooding. FEMA says only a small amount of the properties in the
region are covered by insurance. I want to point out that's because people can't get insurance for this.
Nick Watt is in Marina Del Rey, California. I mean, look, Nick, you've lived there for a long time. Set the scene for us, but also, tell us how
unprecedented this is in terms of what we're seeing.
NICK WATT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, I've lived here a while and I have never seen rain just quite so relentless. It started Sunday morning and
just has not stopped. The amount of water we're dealing with. Well, here is a clue, this is below the creek which is usually not that much to write
home about. It is now a torrent, this thing rose more than three meters in just nine hours yesterday. And in the past half hour or so, we've seen it
rise again.
What is happening here? Well, all of this rain is landing on Los Angeles, which is either concrete asphalt or frankly saturated soil because we've
actually had quite a bit of rain here over the past couple of weeks, nothing like this, but enough to really just get that ground already wet.
So, this rain that's falling is just shooting off. And it's that that is causing this flash flood risk. It's that that's actually washing some
houses away up in the hills.
Why is all this happening? Well, it's cold, an atmospheric river, a huge river up in the sky that can carry about as much water 20 times as much
water as the Mississippi River.
So, what's happened is the Pacific is a little warmer, some climate change there. And we have the El Nino effect that is pushing this atmospheric
river right at California. And the system has just been sitting over L.A. for so long, there's a chance that we'll move away down towards San Diego,
that it might come back and that is what we're dealing with here in L.A.
Mayor Karen Bass Los Angeles said, Angelenos just aren't used to this. But with climate change, we might have to get used to this.
As you said, listen, people around here generally have insurance for wildfires, for earthquakes, but not for floods. Floods don't generally
happen here or haven't happened here a lot in the past.
But if you listen to the mayor, other officials, climate scientists, they say that we should expect more of this.
Now, of course, California has kind of been famous in the past few years for having a mega drought. That ended last winter, we had a lot of this
rain this winter. A lot of this rain, climate scientists are calling that climate whiplash.
[15:45:02]
And again, we should expect more of that. So, what we should expect more of our storms like these being more frequent, being more intense, and this
whiplash this moving from extreme to extreme.
Right now, the city is just trying to deal with this rain and hoping that it moves away, but it's not going to move anytime soon. Records, Paula, are
going to be broken today.
NEWTON: Yes, the extremes really difficult to deal with in the matter of two years, right? You went from wildfire and drought, like you said to this
extreme.
I want to ask you though, we heard the mayor of Los Angeles, they're saying, people stay home. How have people been coping with the power
outages? But also, of course, crucially, those first responders. People were told to stay home, are most staying home and have they been able to
avoid, you know, those life threatening situations?
WATT: Well, there has been one confirmed man died when a tree fell on him. We believe due to the wind that's been brought by this.
I mean, here in L.A. we've been told to commute with care. Some school districts up in Malibu have closed. Malibu a little bit more mountainous, a
lot of debris, rockslides in those little canyons, but Santa Monica and the city of L.A., the schools have stayed open Much to the chagrin of kids. The
roads kind of possible at the moment. I mean, overnight, we saw a bunch of cars stuck in fast flowing water.
You know, so far the security, the -- sorry, the emergency services, they really prepared well for this, we knew this was coming.
So, over the weekend, they were prepositioning in places, they were ready, millions of sandbags deployed. So, now it's just a question of waiting this
out, hoping there are no more fatalities and hoping that this storm actually just moves a little faster and gives L.A. a break from this
because right now, there is just so much water coming down.
NEWTON: We can see it is going to be quite a while before that dries out and quite a cleanup ahead. Nick Watt for us, thanks so much for bringing us
the story. Appreciate it.
Now, we go to Chile where at least 122 people are dead as devastating wildfires rips through that country. The president has declared a state of
emergency and authorities warn the fire risk remains moderate to extreme for the next two days at least.
Video -- I mean, just look at that video obtained by CNN, shows the hellish scene as the bus drives through flames in Valparaiso, the coastal city is a
popular tourist destination. The damage from the fires is expected to cost hundreds of millions of dollars.
Patrick Altman has our story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PATRICK ALTMAN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Abraham (PH) returns to the place where his home one stood. Nothing remains, the home is
reduced to rubble, memories of his life burned to ashes.
He says he has nothing left but the clothes on his back. A pair of overalls and some slippers.
ABRAHAM (through translator): Everything was consumed in its path, memories, comforts, your home, our things, I was left with nothing. At the
moment I have nothing but overalls. I'm wearing slippers that were given to me, so I have nothing. I'm left with nothing.
ALTMAN (voice over): A haunting reality for many as wildfires tear across swaths of Chile, killing more than 100 people and leaving hundreds missing.
Coastal cities like Vina del Mar, and Valparaiso are choked in Smoke. Chile announced a two day mourning period as firefighters race to battle fires
and save lives.
The governor of the Valparaiso region, Rodrigo Mundaca, announced curfews to help authorities battle the blazes.
GOV. RODRIGO MUNDACA, VALPARAISO REGION, CHILE (through translator): It is the whole of Chile that is suffering and mourning our dead. And from the
region of Valparaiso, I send a hug of solidarity and my heartfelt condolences to each of the victims who have lost a loved one. And also to
those who have lost their homes, their memories and their belongings.
ALTMAN (voice over): Loved ones embrace each other as they find themselves forced to live makeshift tents surrounded by what was once their homes now
razed to the ground. Chileans are calling on younger people to volunteer.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): If you have the possibility to come and help, come. Because what is needed most are hands, this is not the
first time Chile has gone through this type of thing. So, we know that Chileans know how to get up unprepared, how to help others.
ALTMAN (voice over): The satellite imagery showing the areas of Chile before and after the fires illustrates how all-consuming the fire was.
Chile's wildfires are not an isolated incident, as the continent faces the growing impact of climate change, particularly from El Nino, a natural
phenomenon characterized by warmer than average waters in the tropical Pacific that influences weather around the globe.
Compounded with a drought, the country has been facing for years, the wildfires were lethal. December through February are the peak months of the
fire season in Chile. And officials warned where deadly blazes could be in store.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[15:50:07]
NEWTON: Now when we come back, we'll have more on King Charles's cancer diagnosis and how it will likely impact the royal family. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NEWTON: And back to our top story this hour, King Charles has been diagnosed with cancer. Buckingham Palace says it was discovered after the
King's recent treatment for an enlarged prostate. We're told that Prince Harry has spoken with his father and will soon head back to the U.K. to
visit with him. A source close to Prince William, who was heir to the throne says he's in regular contact with the King.
Emily Nash is a CNN royal commentator and the role editor at Hello Magazine. Thanks for being with us on what is clearly a shocking few hours
here for Britain and beyond.
Can you give us a sense of how you believe the royal family has handled this so far? And how they're likely to handle it in the weeks to come?
EMILY NASH, CNN ROYAL COMMENTATOR: Well, look, it's going to be a shock for them as a family as it would be for any of us where we to hear this news
about a loved one. And I think it's right that they have taken the step to share this very recent diagnosis with the public because questions would
have been asked if the King suddenly disappeared from public duties.
But we saw him just yesterday appearing in fairly good health outside the church at Sandringham. So, it's right to avoid speculation to get this
message out there just for the avoidance of doubt, I suppose.
And I'm sure like any other family, they're going to be rallying around him, as you say, Prince Harry flying in to spend some time with his father,
which, you know, was not at the top of anyone's cards for 2024, given the difficult state of their relationship in the past couple of years.
NEWTON: Yes, it is obviously a strained relationship and that much more so when you're dealing with a health crisis like this.
You know, I will say, the hallmark of King Charles's parents was longevity, right? I mean, the Queen, obviously, but also his father at her side for so
many years. I'm just wondering what the reaction is there to him having had the procedure in the first place, but now really stepping back from those
public engagements?
NASH: Well, look, it's coming very early in his reign, you know, after what many people believe to have been a very successful start as monarch, you
know, and he's coming off the back of his mother's incredible 70 years on the throne.
[15:55:04]
But right, yes, you say both his parents lived very long lives. And I guess some people are questioning have we perhaps taking that for granted, you
know, sort of gotten? That, like any people who live to a certain age, they will encounter illnesses and setbacks, health setbacks.
But what the panelists are saying is that the King's attitude was wholly positive towards the treatment plan in place. He's worked very closely with
cancer charities over the years, it's something he cares a lot about, and knows a lot about as well.
And I think that's reassuring, you know, the fact that they are being open about it, they're not quite ready to share the full details at the moment.
It's a sensitive situation, you know, they're just trying to get their own heads around this before sharing further details with the -- with the whole
of the U.K.
But I think it's a difficult balance. And I think they've handled it fairly well.
NEWTON: Do you think in terms of the -- put it that way, the burden put on his eldest son, obviously, having, you know, the crisis in the family, he's
not close with his younger brother anymore, and it really does fall on his shoulders.
And I've said it before, he's a father of three young children with a partner who's trying to recover from her own health issue.
NASH: Yes, look, the timing is not -- I mean, it's very far from ideal if this thing has to happen at all, but Prince William was due to return to
public engagements this week. He has a couple of things in the diary for Wednesday, and I think that we will see him stepping up and carrying out
some of his father's duties.
But what's interesting is that Buckingham Palace isn't calling any of the councilors of state in, you know, to put in a shift at the moment. So,
these are other members of the family who can deputize for the King, if he's overseas or incapacitated in any way. There's no need to do that.
So, it seems that they're confident that the King can continue with his constitutional duties behind the scenes attending to his official paperwork
and his red boxes, we just won't see him out and about, you know, pressing the flesh, spending time with people in the way that he usually does until
he's recovered.
NEWTON: We haven't been told the type of cancer that it is nor the prognosis. I mean, how do you think people in Britain are feeling about
that?
I mean, do you think it will come at a point in the next few weeks where they will demand more medical information from the person who is of course
their head of state?
NASH: Look, I think that people will understand it's very early days, we know that when he went in for his procedure, there was no suggestion of
him, you know, facing cancer or anything nearly -- near as serious as that.
So, I think people will understand that it's going to take a little time to iron out exactly what his diagnosis is, what the treatment plan is, and
whatever the prognosis is.
And of course, you know, there's absolutely right to medical privacy in this country. So, what we do find out is only what he chooses to share. So,
I think that you know, in the fullness of time, we may be given further details.
But one thing we do understand that it is not prostate cancer, so despite him going in for treatment, on his prostate, it is an entirely separate
issue.
NEWTON: Unfortunately, sometimes that is more worrisome. Emily Nash for us, thanks so much. Appreciate it. And we'll be right back with more news after
this.
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