King Charles tries out surgical robot and speaks with cancer patients during hospital visit

The monarch has spent the afternoon speaking with healthcare professionals and chemotherapy patients before unveiling a plaque to mark the 300th anniversary of Guy’s Hospital in London

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King Charles arriving at Guy’s Hospital in London today(Image: Anadolu via Getty Images)

King Charles tried his hand at operating a revolutionary surgical robot at a world leading cancer hospital, by zooming into his own face on a five pound note.

During a visit to the cancer centre at Guy’s Hospital in London today, the monarch was given a step-by-step presentation of the new fifth generation Da Vinci Surgical System, which enables smaller and more precise incisions during bladder surgery.

The robot, which is in the final stages of being approved for use by the NHS, will help to massively reduce patient operating and recovery time owing to its immense precision.

After meeting Professor Ben Challacombe, Consultant Urological Surgeon at Guy’s Hospital in London, the King was offered the chance to sit on a stool and look through a headset to control the robotic hands on an operating table behind him.

 

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King Charles visited Guy’s Hospital in London today(Image: Zeynep Demir Aslim/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock)

 

On display was a small model of the internal bladder, with a five pound note placed in between it. Referencing minute text on the note, the professor said: “As you can see it is so precise that you can zoom in to such an extent you will see things that the human eye can not see.

“This model is not completely licenced in the UK, they are about to launch it in the NHS, but you can actually feel the tension in your own fingers.”

Placing his fingers into the controls, the King struggled at first to get to grips with the mechanism saying: “I think I’ll have to come back after some more training.”

The Da Vinci series of machines have been used on 15,000 patients in the hospital in the last 20 years and two million people worldwide. The King later remarked how the robot was a “marvellous invention”.

In the hospital’s Chemotherapy Village, the King met patients who are being treated at the Cancer Centre and who could benefit from discoveries by scientists based at the Innovation Hub. Raymond Burgess, 69, from South London, told the King how his chemotherapy treatment had left him unable to taste certain foods.

He said: “All the staff have been fantastic, all so welcoming and lovely. It’s very comfortable here. Just can’t taste anything, apart from lemons and limes mostly.” The King replied: “It’s an awful sort of metallic taste. It doesn’t exactly help with eating!”

 

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The monarch tried his hand at innovative robot technology(Image: Tayfun Salci/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock)

 

One patient, who did not want to be named, told Charles how she had brought her laptop into the centre to carry on working while wearing a cold cap for her breast cancer chemotherapy treatment. The monarch said: “That’s extraordinary. Very brave. I wish you all the best.”

The visit formed part of the 300th anniversary of Guy’s Hospital, taking place at Guy’s Cancer Centre. Scientists from across disciplines at King’s College – from data scientists to geneticists – work within the Innovation Hub to embed cutting-edge cancer research and access to clinical trials directly into patient care.

Scientists within the Innovation Hub are also using advanced data science and AI to analyse large datasets – helping discover trends, improve accuracy of diagnoses and detect new targets for drugs.

Charles was taken three positions in the lab where scientists and students at the hospital are using AI to chart results. One doctor showed the king a set of results on a screen that AI program Pharos organised results in under an hour rather than taking a whole day.

 

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The King also spoke with cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy(Image: Zeynep Demir Aslim/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock)

 

The monarch, who is Royal Patron of King’s College London, met with senior leadership from the hospital, leading academics and PhD students pushing the boundaries of cancer research – from diagnosis to treatment.

The King was shown around the Innovation Hub by Professor Shitij Kapur, Vice-Chancellor & President of King’s and Professor Sheila Singh, Head of the Comprehensive Cancer Centre and Joint Head of the School of Cancer & Pharmaceutical Sciences.

Professor Shitij Kapur, Vice-Chancellor & President of King’s, said: “It was an honour to welcome King Charles to the Innovation Hub. “We were privileged to highlight the incredible research from scientists within the Innovation Hub, from across disciplines, all dedicated to tackling cancer and improving the lives of patients.

“The Innovation Hub is a true example of the impact that can be fostered through collaboration, from data scientists analysing trends in cancer diagnoses, to geneticists developing precise drugs to tailor individualised therapies – alongside the wider, historic collaboration between King’s and Guy’s Hospital, forged over hundreds of years. To demonstrate this with His Majesty, a patron of our university, was a very proud moment.”

Within the Hub, Professor Sheeba Irshad, explained how she is developing a new type of immunotherapy treatment for breast cancers resistant to traditional chemo and radiotherapy.

Accompanied by PhD research students Esme Carpenter and Helen Kakkassery, Charles was shown microscopic images of immune cells within tumours, which are targeted by immunotherapy treatment.

 

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The King met with royal fans outside the hospital as he departed(Image: Zeynep Demir Aslim/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock)

 

Showcasing this technology, Professor Anita Grigoriadis explained how she is using AI to guide drug discovery. Professor Grigoriadis, who is founder of Pharos AI, software which is transforming cancer care by unlocking decades of NHS cancer data, also discussed the impact the Innovation Hub is having on industry and the wider economy.

On leaving the hospital, Charles greeted a crowd of over 150 patients and staff in the lobby of the cancer centre. He shook hands with patients and wished them much with their treatment.

Professor Sheila Singh, Professor of Neuro-oncology and Neurosurgery, said: “It was an immense privilege to welcome His Majesty to our Innovation Hub, where dedicated colleagues committed to tackling cancer discussed their invaluable work.

“Innovation really is the key word; King’s is leading the way in rethinking how we treat cancers, putting patients at the centre of everything we do.

“We’re making live cell avatars of patient cancers and enabling bespoke therapy development for each patient with a difficult-to-treat cancer – and working in collaboration with clinicians at Guy’s helps embed ground-breaking research into patients’ journeys.

“Being directly above the Chemotherapy Village breaks down barriers between medical professionals, enabling us to analyse patient samples in real-time.”

“Our work at the Innovation Hub is also enhanced by our strong partnerships with key funders, and it was a pleasure to also welcome the CEO of Cancer Research UK (CRUK), Michelle Mitchell, which funds research within the Hub, on the tour.”

The visit was commemorated by a plaque being unveiled by the King in the Cancer Centre’s entrance lobby. Professor Graham Lord, Senior Vice-President (Health & Life Sciences), said: “The Innovation Hub is part of King’s College London’s diverse cancer research ecosystem, which spans fundamental science, clinical trials, and improving patient care – underpinned by world-class teaching, internationally-recognised research and partnerships across the NHS, government and industry.

“With support from organisations like Breast Cancer Now, Cancer Research UK, and Guy’s Cancer Charity, including funding for essential training roles, the Innovation Hub improves care for patients today while training the next generation of experts.

“We were enormously proud to demonstrate the impact of the Innovation Hub to His Majesty the King during the 300th anniversary celebrations of Guy’s Hospital.”