King Charles III: Which other members of the royal family have been seriously ill before?

The news that King Charles III had been diagnosed with cancer came somewhat out of the blue.

Following his enlarged prostate procedure the King was discharged from hospital, and only yesterday (February 5) was the news about his diagnosis confirmed by Buckingham Palace. Treatment has already begun and it's thought that the cancer has been "caught early".

Charles is not the first member of the royal family to be diagnosed with cancer though - nor is he the first British monarch to have encountered a serious illness. Here are some of the most high-profile cases of illness in the royal family.

Princess Victoria

Not Queen Victoria, but in fact her daughter. The child of the Queen and Prince Albert died in 1901 at the age of 60 due to breast cancer.

King Edward VIII

After a brief reign as monarch, Edward abdicated the throne and became the Duke of Windsor instead. After a lifetime of smoking, he was diagnosed with throat cancer in 1971. He died age 77 the following year.

King George VI

Ascending to the throne in 1936 after his brother Edward's abdication, King George was also a prolific smoker. He was diagnosed with lung cancer after reportedly smoking at least two packets of cigarettes a day - for 20 years.

His health had been deteriorating as early as 1948 and the King died in his sleep in 1952, paving the way for Elizabeth II's reign.

A statement issued at the time said: "The King was found dead in bed at Sandringham House in Norfolk, on the morning of February 6. He had died from a coronary thrombosis – a blocking of blood flow to the heart – as a result of a blood clot in an artery – in his sleep."

Queen Elizabeth

The Queen Mother was a beloved member of the royal family, adored by relatives and the public alike. But she was diagnosed with cancer multiple times throughout her life, although this was not made public knowledge until she died in 2002 at the age of 101.

In her official biography, author William Shawcross revealed she was diagnosed with colon cancer in 1966 and had a tumour removed by doctors. The Queen Mother later had surgery on a lump after being diagnosed with breast cancer in 1984.

Princess Margaret

The sister of Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Margaret did not develop cancer, but instead suffered several strokes before her death in 2002. After an incident in the bath in 1999, Margaret also struggled with walking.

Sarah Ferguson

The Duchess of York has spoken openly about her breast cancer diagnosis, appearing on ITV's Loose Women towards the end of last year to tell her story. "I almost missed the screening appointment that saved my life," she told viewers.

She underwent an eight-hour surgery and spent four days in intensive care.

In January, the Duchess revealed she has now been diagnosed with skin cancer.

Catherine Middleton

The Princess of Wales has also not had cancer, but last month underwent abdominal surgery at The London Clinic - the same place King Charles went for his prostate procedure. She is now back home and "making good progress" according to Kensington Palace, but has cancelled all royal engagements until after Easter.