King Charles 'reluctant' to make major lifestyle change amid ongoing cancer treatment

King Charles III inspects the 200th Sovereign's parade at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst on April 14, 2023 in Camberley, England. The Sovereign's Parade, first held in 1948 in the presence of King George VI, marks the culmination of 44 weeks training and the passing out of the 171 Officer Cadets who have completed the Commissioning Course. It is the first time King Charles III has inspected Sovereign's Parade at Sandhurst since becoming Monarch.
(Max Mumby/Indigo)

King Charles has been forced to take up a daily habit he has famously refused to do for years.

His Majesty, who was diagnosed with cancer in February this year, makes no secret of his preference to skip lunch.

A midday meal, according to the King, is a luxury he cannot afford when coupled with his busy and demanding work schedule.

King Charles visits the Senedd
The King was diagnosed with cancer in February, but has continued to work on a reduced schedule (Getty)

Much like the late Queen Elizabeth II's corgis, the King's distaste for eating lunch has become one of his most talked about attributes and has even been formally acknowledged by Clarence House in a list of 70 facts released for the King's (formerly Prince Charles) 70th birthday. Without explanation, number 20 on the list is: "The Prince does not eat lunch."

According to a report in the MailOnline, the King has been encouraged by his wife, Queen Camilla, his doctors, and aides, that he must start eating lunch in order to keep his strength up during his ongoing treatment for cancer.

The monarch is said to be "reluctant" about the change, and has compromised by eating half an avocado at lunchtime rather than a full-sized meal.

Prince Charles And The Duchess Of Cornwall, On An Official Visit To Italy Attend A Slow Food Reception, In Rome.
The King famously does not eat lunch - but that is set to change (Mark Cuthbert)

While there is limited scientific research to suggest specific foods can help slow cancer growth or improve treatment effectiveness, it is important for patients to maintain a healthy, balanced diet during cancer treatments to help keep their strength up.

According to the NHS, cancer treatments disrupt the way cancer cells grow and divide but they can also affect normal cells, which can affect the immune system and make patients feel very unwell.

avocado toast
The King has reportedly settled with eating half an avocado a day (Rex)

"Eating well means eating a varied and balanced diet," says the NHS.

"This will give your body all the nutrients it needs to function well during cancer treatment. These nutrients include proteins, carbohydrates, fat, vitamins, and minerals."

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King Charles is very particular about his daily diet

Aside from his preference to skip lunch, the King's peculiar penchant for a boiled egg is another of his unusual diet quirks.

Netflix's The Crown even made reference to the monarch's peculiar preference, with Camilla Parker Bowles (played by Emerald Fannell) telling a young Princess Diana (Emma Corrin): "They made the cardinal mistake of refusing to put a soft boiled egg on top."

Kign Charles during the opening of Waitrose & Partners Food Innovation Studio in 2019
The King's penchant for a daily dose of egg was confirmed by a former royal chef (Getty)

In a new interview, the King's stepson Tom Parker-Bowles gave a rare insight into the monarch's system for leftovers. "Everything is recycled," he said. "If anything is left over, that will be made into something else or appear the next day. Nothing's thrown out."