Prince Harry Speaks Out About King Charles' Cancer Diagnosis: "I Jumped On a Plane"

He told ABC News how he'd learned the news.

Prince Harry walking into High Court today for his phone hacking trial
(Image credit: ABC News)

After Buckingham Palace confirmed earlier this month that King Charles has a form of cancer, Prince Harry is speaking out about his father's diagnosis.

Harry, who stepped down as a working member of the British royal family in 2020, told ABC News that he "jumped on a plane" to visit the king after learning the cancer news. He also told the outlet that he was "grateful" that he was able to spend time with his father during a recent visit to London.

"I spoke to him. And I jumped on a plane and went to go see him as soon as I could," Harry said. "I love my family. The fact that I was able to get on a plane, go and see him, and spend any time with him—I'm grateful for that."

"I'll stop in and see my family as much as I can," Harry said on Good Morning America, suggesting that there are more visits to the U.K. in his future (via BBC News). The palace hasn't shared what type of cancer Charles has, and Harry declined to address the specifics of his outlook on his father's health during the GMA interview. The king has paused his public duties while undergoing treatment.

During his conversation with Good Morning America, which aired on Friday, Harry also shared that he's thought about becoming a U.S. citizen. "I love every single day," Harry said of his life in America (via People). But with everything else going on right now, undergoing the citizenship process isn't a "high priority" for him.

Prince William, for his part, spoke out about his father's cancer diagnosis at a charity event on Feb. 7. "I'd like to take this opportunity to say thank you also for the kind messages of support for Catherine and for my father, especially in recent days. It means a great deal to us all," William said at the time (via E! News).

The announcement of King Charles' cancer diagnosis comes after Kate Middleton underwent abdominal surgery in January. She has since returned home from the hospital.

Meghan De Maria
Celebrity News Writer

Meghan is a freelance news writer at Marie Claire. Her work has also ppeared in Bustle, Refinery29, Popsugar, and other outlets. When she isn't writing, Meghan runs a community for plus-size people in the Raleigh-Durham area of North Carolina.