King Charles chose Kate's hospital to save taxpayers money

Charles, 75, was said to be “doing well” yesterday after undergoing a corrective procedure for an enlarged prostate at The London Clinic in Marylebone. The Princess, 42, had her planned abdominal surgery at the Marylebone hospital last week and the monarch opted to be treated at the same site rather than in nearby King Edward VII’s.

A source said the King was “doing well” after yesterday’s operation. He is expected to stay in hospital for two days.

Charles arrived at the private clinic at 8:30am with Queen Camilla and they visited Kate to check on her progress.

Had he picked King Edward VII’s – the Royal Family’s favoured hospital – for the surgery a second bodyguard detail would have been brought in for there too, at an estimated additional cost of £14,000.

An insider said: “With the Princess similarly at the Clinic, shared resourcing has been possible with regards to public policing.” The King is understood to have pored over the details and felt it was hugely important that the Royal Family was thinking about the cost implications for taxpayers.

He considers it his duty to save money by having only one police presence stationed outside the same hospital. The cost of security for the royals is not discussed publicly by Palace aides or by Scotland Yard but it is estimated to cost around £7,000 per day.

Camilla accompanying her husband to hospital was another break with tradition.

It has been rare for a spouse to travel with a senior royal to receive care, with the late Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip always going for treatment alone. Veteran royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams said: “Camilla being with the King shows the strength of their remarkable partnership. They really are soulmates.”

Sources said Camilla stayed until doctors confirmed the King’s surgery was a success. When she left almost seven hours after he was admitted, onlookers called out: “We love you lots.” Asked how Charles was doing, she replied he “is fine, thank you”.

The Queen was driven back to the rear entrance of the hospital at 6.34pm and was seen leaving once more just before 8pm.

Since Kate entered on January 16 there have been two unarmed officers on guard outside. Several more are understood to be stationed within the building, with armed Royal Protection Squad officers on duty at her private room day and night.

The King will receive extra protection given his more senior status. The RPS is part of the Metropolitan Police Service Protection Command and its officers, in plain clothes, are routinely armed with 9mm Glock 17 pistols worn discreetly alongside a first aid kit.

Since his accession in September 2022 the King has been keen to highlight his “increasing concern” over the cost-of-living crisis. He focused on the issue in his first Christmas broadcast, where he spoke of the “great anxiety and hardship” of people struggling to “pay their bills and keep their families fed and warm”.

Last year he campaigned on food poverty by launching the Coronation Food Project that aimed to reduce waste.

At home he has implemented money-saving measures such as switching off gas lamps and lowering the temperature of his swimming pool at Buckingham Palace.

Charles and Kate have forged a close relationship, and the King thinks she performs an excellent job balancing her royal duties with raising three children.

In a speech in Kenya last November, he referred to her as his “beloved daughter-in-law” and his decision to be admitted to the same hospital would seem to reinforce that close bond. Kate has spent 11 nights there after debilitating surgery that has forced her to take up to three months off. It is thought that she will be discharged before long.

The King has vowed to return to work as soon as possible. He is said to have been intent on having the procedure on a Friday so as to not overly inconvenience his workload. Sources say he will stick to medical advice to take it easy but will study official documents and read his Government Red Boxes. One source said: “The King has made no secret of his work ethic”.

While another added: “We fully expect him to be rifling through his paperwork over the weekend.” Counsellor of State “stand-ins” will be not be needed for his recovery period – expected to be up to two weeks.

The King was diagnosed with the benign condition on January 17 while at Birkhall, Aberdeenshire, after he experienced symptoms. He then stayed at Sandringham, returning to London on Thursday evening.

His Majesty is understood to have wanted to share news of his condition to encourage men to have themselves checked. In a statement, aides thanked the public for messages of support and added the King is “delighted to learn that his diagnosis is having a positive impact on public health awareness”.

NHS England said that its “enlarged prostate” online page received one visit every five seconds on the day the King’s diagnosis was announced, with further boosts in use in the following days.

John Moore, managing director of VIP protection firm Westminster Security Ltd, said: “The Met Police could be saving as much as £20,000 over the weekend with King Charles and Princess Kate colocating at the same private hospital by sharing security resources. However, any speculative savings could be more than wiped out through the overtime incurred by their respective personal police protection teams providing around the clock protection.”