Lionel Richie shares rare update on his pal King Charles after cancer treatment

Lionel Ritchie and King Charles during a Prince's Trust International reception in Bridgetown, Barbados, in 2019. Photo / Getty Images

Lionel Richie says King Charles is “doing fantastic” during his cancer treatment.

The pop veteran, who performed at the monarch’s coronation concert last year and has long been associated with his Prince’s Trust charity, opened up about his pal’s health issues when attending the King’s Trust Global Gala in New York this week.

He revealed Charles has come a long way since his diagnosis with an undisclosed form of cancer back in February.

Richie told People: “Happily I can say, he is doing fantastic. Again, I understand, he needs to sit still, you know what I’m saying.

“The most important part is he is doing well. He’s back to his duties and so therefore, I wouldn’t want the first thing for him to do is come over [to the US] – let’s not prove anything here.”

He went on to reveal he expects Charles to call him to ask how the New York charity event on Friday went. Richie said: “Believe me, my question [from him] now is, ‘How was it?’ After I finish tonight, I’m gonna get that call saying, ‘Well, how was it?’”

Richie was named a global ambassador for the Prince’s Trust in 2019, but his friendship with Charles stretches back to the 1980s and the singer previously admitted he was still amazed to be asked to sing at the King’s coronation concert at Windsor Castle.

King Charles and Queen Camilla appeared on American Idol with judges Katy Perry and Lionel Richie. Photo / American Idol

He told ETOnlione.com: “It’s an honour. I mean, first of all, when you’ve been in the business a long time, and, of course, when you get an invitation like this, the answer is absolutely.

“We’ve been friends a long time, I’ve known him a long time, but to be asked is the whole thing.”

The news comes after King Charles resumed public-facing duties for the first time since his diagnosis by visiting a specialist cancer centre in London on Tuesday with his wife Queen Camilla by his side.

The pair met with patients and staff at the Macmillan Cancer Centre at University College Hospital and Camilla later revealed her husband was happy to be out and about again.

Speaking to Teresa Tideman, chair of In Kind Direct at a Buckingham Palace reception for those who support survivors of sexual abuse on Wednesday, she said: “I think he was really thrilled to be out. I’ve been trying to hold him back.”