King Charles admitted to London hospital for prostate treatment, palace says

King Charles III has been admitted to a London hospital for scheduled treatment, the palace announced Friday.

Buckingham Palace previously announced the king would undergo treatment for an enlarged prostate, the same day Princess Kate's recent hospitalization was publicized.

"His Majesty would like to thank all those who have sent their good wishes over the past week and is delighted to learn that his diagnosis is having a positive impact on public health awareness," the palace said.

Last week, Buckingham Palace said King Charles would seek treatment for a "corrective procedure" that is "in common with thousands of men each year."

The palace said the king's condition is "benign," but public engagements would be postponed for a brief period of rest as he heals from the procedure and timing of the announcement could be seen as offering an explanation for Charles' absence. Foreign dignitaries and members of the Cabinet had been due to travel to Dumfries House in Scotland.

Though it is unusual for members of the royal family to offer much detail on their health, the publicity about Charles' revelation may encourage other men experiencing symptoms to get checked in line with public health advice.

How old is King Charles? Monarch took over the throne after death of Queen Elizabeth II

King Charles, 75, was crowned alongside his wife Queen Camilla at a coronation on May 6 of last year. In November, he celebrated his birthday, which marked his first as a monarch.

In recent months, King Charles made state trips to Kenya and France. In Kenya, he expressed the "greatest sorrow and the deepest regret" for the "abhorrent and unjustifiable acts of violence" committed against Kenyans as they sought independence.

What can be done for an enlarged prostate?

According to Mayo Clinic, an enlarged prostate is a common condition as men get older. By age 60, about 30% of men show moderate to severe symptoms of BPH or benign prostatic hyperplasia, the medical term for the condition. An enlarged prostate can cause a weak urine stream, a urine stream that starts and stops and frequent urination at night.

The prostate is a smaller organ that sits at the bottom of the bladder. In a man's early life, the prostate is the size of a walnut or small tangerine. But around age 50, the prostate begins to increase in size. A common treatment for prostate issues is a removal of prostate tissue.

Prostate cancer affects more than 1 in 8 U.S. men, and 1 in 6 African American men during their lifetime, the doctors who oversaw Austin's treatment said in a statement released by the Pentagon Tuesday. The nonprofit American Cancer Society said it's the most common form of cancer in men other than skin cancer, and the risk of getting it increases with age. Austin, the first Black defense secretary, is 70.

Contributing: The Associated Press

Lloyd Austindidn’t want to share his prostate cancer struggle. Many men feel similarly.