King Charles' cancer battle puts spotlight on William, Camilla
The shocking news that King Charles III was diagnosed with an undisclosed type of cancer has raised many questions, from what type of treatment he is undergoing to how long the treatment may keep him out of the public eye.
Another question raised by Charles' diagnosis is what could happen in the event of his death, or if declining health were to force him to abdicate his throne.
In announcing Charles' diagnosis, Buckingham Palace did not specify the type of cancer, the stage of cancer or the type of treatment he is undergoing or planning to undergo.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has to date shared the only additional detail the public knows of Charles' diagnosis, telling the BBC on Tuesday that the king's cancer was "caught early."
Charles, 75, became king in 2022, following the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth II, Britain's longest-reigning monarch.
When Charles was crowned last year alongside his wife Queen Camilla, the United Kingdom celebrated its first coronation in 70 years.
Here are three questions answered about what would happen if Charles were to leave the throne.
1. Who would become king after Charles?
Prince William, Charles' eldest child, is next in line to the throne after his father and would become king.
William, 41, is currently the Prince of Wales, a title he inherited from Charles when Charles became king.
William's wife Kate, the Princess of Wales, would then become queen.
2. Would Camilla still be queen if Charles is no longer king?
With Charles as king, Camilla's official title is queen consort, the title given to the spouse of a king and one that Camilla received with the blessing of her late mother-in-law, Elizabeth.
If Charles were to leave the throne, whether by abdicating his role or upon his death, Camilla would keep the title of queen consort, but her role as queen would go to Kate.
Similarly, when Elizabeth's father King George VI died in 1952 and she ascended to the throne, her mother Queen Elizabeth, the wife of George VI, kept the title of Queen Mother until her death in 2002 at the age of 101.
Any decisions about where Camilla would live and what role she would play in the royal family in the event of her husband's death -- including the continuation of her charitable work -- would ultimately be left to William in his role as king, though it is likely that Charles will have shared his wishes for Camilla's future with his son.
3. Who would become the heir to throne with William as king?
If Charles were to leave the throne and William became king, William's son Prince George would become first in line to the throne.
George, 10, is the eldest of William and Kate's three kids, followed by his siblings, 8-year-old Princess Charlotte and 5-year-old Prince Louis.
With his grandfather Charles as king, George is currently second in line to the throne.
