LONDON, Feb 6, 2024 (BSS/AFP) - King Charles's III's cancer diagnosis 
splashed the front page of every British national newspaper Tuesday, with 
publications praising the monarch for revealing his illness and urging 
readers to rally behind him.

The Sun tabloid said Monday's shock announcement by Buckingham Palace, which 
sparked a flood of support from around the world, would heighten awareness 
about the condition.

"We should applaud Charles for choosing to reveal his cancer diagnosis in 
order to assist public understanding for those around the world who are 
affected by cancer," the tabloid wrote.

"Over the decades, His Majesty has been there for so many people, visiting 
hospitals and offering them hope," it added.

"Now it is time for the nation to show how much they care for him, which I am 
sure they will."

Charles, who became king upon the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, on 
September 8, 2022, has generally enjoyed good health, barring injuries from 
polo and skiing.

But the palace said that during his recent hospital procedure for benign 
prostate enlargement "a separate issue of concern was noted" and that he had 
begun treatment.

Most papers carried portraits of Charles on their front page. The Sun went 
with "King: I have cancer" as its headline, while fellow redtop The Daily 
Mirror had "King's cancer shock".

The Daily Telegraph newspaper said the 75-year-old monarch's diagnosis should 
be "no cause for alarm" and that from all accounts "the prognosis is good".

"The key to dealing with cancer is to catch it early and that appears to have 
happened here," the newspaper wrote in an editorial.

The Times took a more sceptical tone, saying that by refusing to disclose the 
precise form of cancer, Buckingham Palace may well start the rumour mill 
churning.

"By chosing to be open one minute and not the next, they may well inspire 
unwanted speculation," the newspaper wrote.

"This strategy, however, runs the risk of leaving many people to assume that 
the King's condition is more sinister than the Palace is letting on."

The Guardian newspaper, less adoring of the British royal family than its 
rivals, said the king's diagnosis will "once again" raise questions about 
whether it is fair to expect a man in his mid-70s to "fulfil a rota of public 
duties".

"He in effect started his new job a decade after most men retire," the 
newspaper wrote.