'I lost my taste...King's cancer battle revelation

THE King yesterday revealed he lost his sense of taste during his cancer treatment during a candid chat with a veteran who recently underwent chemotherapy.

- Emily Ferguson

The monarch, 75, made the admission while speaking to Aaron Mapplebeck, who served with the Army, during a visit to the Army Flying Museum in Middle Wallop, Hampshire.

It came as King Charles officially handed over the role of Colonel-in-Chief of the Army Air Corps to Prince William during a rare joint engagement.

During the chat about cancer treatment, Mr Mapplebeck had told the King that he underwent chemotherapy last year, and that one of the side effects was losing his sense of taste - something His Majesty sympathised with.

He said: "I told him I had chemotherapy in February last year, nine weeks intensive chemotherapy for testicular cancer.

"I told him I'm starting a job next week for the NHS, I'm going to be a physiotherapist assistant."

Describing his treatment, he added: "It affected quite a lot of things. I lost my hair, my taste was really affected." The veteran said, in response, the King spoke about his own loss of taste.

Buckingham Palace revealed Charles's cancer diagnosis at the start of February, but aides have not disclosed what his treatment entails. Instead, they have said that he continues to undergo treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer.