King Charles faces emotional toll as he heads to US

The British monarch, King Charles, is said to be suffering from unexpected pain while executing his royal duties amid health crisis othe family issues.

The 77-year-old is said to be devastated at the prospect of delivering public speeches, including a major address marking what would have been Queen Elizabeth II's 100th birthday.

The weight of ongoing royal controversies has made such moments deeply uncomfortable.

Charles, 77, is due to lead national and Commonwealth commemorations on April 21 to honor his late mother, who died aged 96 in September 2022.

Queen Camilla, 78, he will host a reception at Buckingham Palace for organisations connected to Elizabeth, while events across the UK will include exhibitions, commemorative initiatives, and public tributes.

King Charles is said to now be terrified of giving public addresses.

Palace aides have allegedly emphasised the tone will remain celebratory, focusing on Elizabeth's decades of service and influence.

But a senior palace aide told Radar: "For Charles, giving speeches like this has become emotionally draining – there are simply too many unresolved issues hanging over the family, and it is impossible to ignore them completely."

The source added: "Moments that should feel purely commemorative are now layered with what many see as 'elephants in the room' – and that contrast is what makes it so difficult for him."

The King's upcoming address has taken on an added emotional weight due to the broader context surrounding the monarchy.

Sources close to the monarch also describe what they call a "secret sadness" tied to the current state of the royal family, particularly in comparison to the stability associated with Elizabeth's reign.

One insider said: "There is a strong sense that he is reflecting on how much has changed since she passed, and not all of it for the better."

The source added: "He feels the contrast very acutely at moments like this, when he is being asked to represent continuity and strength."

It emerges days after Buckingham Palce confirmed King Charles and Queen Camilla's state visit to the United States.

While King Charles' office's announcement spoke only of a trip in "late April", President Trump published on social media that the US visit will be 27-30 April, with "a beautiful Banquet Dinner at the White House on the evening of April 28th".

He said that, along with First Lady Melania Trump, he would "look forward to spending time with the King, whom I greatly respect. It will be TERRIFIC!"

King Charles will deliver an address to Congress. The monarch is not expected to meet his son Prince Harry, who lives in California, on the other coast to where the King will be meeting President Trump, during a trip which is likely to be tightly packed with official events.

The visit also comes in the wake of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's arrest - and US Congressman Ro Khanna has called for King Charles to meet survivors of the sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.