Queen Camilla is opening up about the difficult days surrounding King Charles’ cancer diagnosis, revealing how hard it was to keep the devastating news private while the royal family prepared to tell the world.

The 79-year-old Queen admitted she struggled to stay silent during a January 2024 visit to cancer support charity Maggie’s, which came shortly after Charles had received his diagnosis but before Buckingham Palace made it public.

“I remember coming to see Maggie’s just after the King had been diagnosed and nobody could say anything at the time,” Camilla recalled in a film marking the charity’s 30th anniversary. “That was quite difficult.”

Camilla said she nearly revealed what her family was going through as she met cancer patients and their loved ones.

“I almost said something but I felt it wasn’t the time to say,” she explained.

Seeing other families dealing with cancer apparently made the reality of Charles’ diagnosis hit even harder.

“It had never really come back to roost at home, and suddenly your husband is diagnosed and you think, ‘Goodness,’” Camilla said.

King Charles, 77, was diagnosed with cancer in January 2024. Buckingham Palace publicly announced the diagnosis the following month.

Camilla said her husband quickly made it clear that he intended to face the illness on his own terms.

“This is my way. I am going to cope with it,” she recalled Charles saying.

And despite undergoing treatment, the King has continued carrying out royal duties.

“Look at my husband,” Camilla said. “Nothing has stopped him.”

Charles’ treatment has continued since his diagnosis, while the monarch has remained active with public engagements and royal responsibilities.

Away from the spotlight, Charles has also reportedly found comfort at Highgrove, his beloved Gloucestershire country estate.

The King has spent decades turning the property into a sprawling retreat filled with gardens, orchards and wildlife — including a flock of rescue chickens housed in an area jokingly nicknamed “Cluckingham Palace.”

A royal source previously claimed Charles’ lifelong belief in the restorative power of nature has taken on new significance during his cancer battle.

“The King has always believed strongly in the healing power of nature, but that belief has become more meaningful during his cancer journey,” the source said.

The insider added that Charles finds spending time among the gardens, trees and chickens deeply calming.

During warmer months, the rescue hens are allowed to wander through Highgrove’s orchards, scratching through the grounds as visitors pass nearby.

Scott Simpson, retail director for The King’s Foundation, has described the chickens as a central part of life at Highgrove and said Charles’ philosophy at the estate has always revolved around living alongside nature.

The unusual royal chicken coop was even featured in the Amazon Prime documentary Finding Harmony: A King’s Vision, which showed Charles visiting “Cluckingham Palace” and collecting eggs.

But Camilla’s latest comments offer a much more personal glimpse behind palace walls — revealing the emotional strain she carried while knowing her husband was battling cancer and being unable to tell anyone.

More than two years after that frightening diagnosis, her message about Charles remains clear: the King has refused to let cancer bring his reign to a halt.