Why Is King Charles Staying in Sandringham?
As King Charles begins treatment following the news of his cancer diagnosis, he is choosing to spend time not at his home at Clarence House in London or even at his beloved Highgrove House, but rather in Norfolk at Sandringham House, which is located around 100 miles north of London.
Each year, the royal family typically spends the Christmas holiday at Sandringham, and even famously walks to the Church of St Mary Magdalene on the estate on Christmas Day. Prior to her passing, Queen Elizabeth II would then spend January through mid-February at the Norfolk estate in order to observe the anniversary of the death of her father, King George VI, on February 6.
King Charles was set to break from the tradition set by his mother, and reportedly planned on spending all of January at Birkhall on the Balmoral estate in Scotland. Yet, his plans soon changed when he was diagnosed with an enlarged prostate and went to London for a scheduled procedure. As the Palace said at the time, "His Majesty's condition is benign and he will attend hospital next week for a corrective procedure. The King’s public engagements will be postponed for a short period of recuperation." He was at the London Clinic for three nights, was discharged on January 29, and soon returned to Sandringham.
While at Sandringham for "private recuperation," the King was pictured attending church this past weekend. Then, the Palace announced his cancer diagnosis, and though the type of cancer was not specified, he was pictured in London earlier this week to begin treatments (and to see his son, Prince Harry, who flew to the UK from California). Charles was in the city for just one night and soon returned to Sandringham via helicopter. At her first engagement following Charles' diagnosis, Queen Camilla said yesterday (February 8) that her husband "is doing extremely well under the circumstances."
While the Palace has not specified why Charles has chosen Sandringham as his place of rest and recuperation during his cancer treatment, it seems as if the proximity to London and his healthcare makes it a better choice as a home base than Birkhall, which is much further away in Scotland.
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