When King Charles celebrated his 76th birthday on November 14, he was seen hiding under a thick mask of makeup to conceal his “agonizing mouth sores,” reportedly caused by ca:n:cer treatment.

According to a royal insider, the septuagenarian is “sicker than he makes himself out to be” and his “raw and ruddy” appearance is making “some people draw back in horror.”

In September 2022, a 73-year-old King Charles ascended to the throne his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, passed away. His brief reign has been overshadowed by familial discord – particularly between Prince Harry and Prince William – and his ongoing battle with cancer.

Over the past year, the King has faced some great challenges with ca:nc:er and in spite of some progress in his treatment, recent public appearances have not silenced rumors about his health and visible physical decline.

Before his diagnosis, the septuagenarian celebrated his first state birthday in June 2023 as king by riding on horseback to inspect his troops in Trooping the Colour, an annual military parade and ceremony that honors the official birthday of the monarch.

Only one year later, the king – unable to travel by horseback because he was being treated for cancer – instead observed the big day by riding in a carriage.

His Majesty turns 76

The day before November 14 – his real birthday, Charles celebrated turning 76 by attending the UK premiere of the highly anticipated Gladiator sequel.

“Although Charles is trying to show that it’s business as usual, it’s not working out that way,” says a royal insider, explaining that concerns over his health only intensified after his appearance at the Odeon Luxe Leicester Square cinema in central London.

“Anyone can see he’s not well,” the source adds.

And the excessive layers of makeup do not help.

Per reports, the monarchs’ aides are trying to hide his “alarming” complexion by using heavy cosmetics intended to mask the king’s “blotchy and puffy” face.

“His sore lips have caused some people to draw back in horror. And his complexion is raw and ruddy. His courtiers worry he’s neglecting his health by putting the kingdom first,” an insider claimed. “Clearly, he’s sicker than he makes himself out to be.”

In spite of his ailing health, the dutiful king spent his birthday championing a charity project aimed at ending food poverty in South London.

Attempts at covering the sores that burned the skin on his lips and mouth completely failed. “What on earth were his people thinking? They just troweled on the slap and made him look white and pasty and like he’d just stepped out of a museum of waxworks,” shares a royal expert.

“Sure, they were concerned about the blotchy face and sores around his lips and in his mouth, but they swapped that look, which are just the wounds of his chemo, for a deathly white pallor,” says the observer, suggesting the king’s illness and chemotherapy is taking its toll.

“And his new birthday picture is just the worst. Truly awful,” the tipster adds of the shocking birthday portrait shared on the Royal Family’s official X account.

The post, captioned “Wishing His Majesty The King a very Happy Birthday today,” shows the monarch dressed in a sharp blue suit, a crisp white shirt, and a blue patterned tie, with one hand casually tucked into his pocket and the other resting on a chair.

We are hopeful that Charles will overcome both his health struggles and the complications stemming from his treatment.

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