King Charles is battling a health crisis marked by facial paralysis from Bell’s palsy, royal insiders report. At 75, the monarch’s health struggles have included a recent cancer diagnosis, but insiders suggest his stepping back from duties was primarily due to Bell’s palsy, which causes facial distortion and speech difficulties.

According to a senior courtier, “This paralysis is the real reason His Majesty stepped back from royal duties so early in his cancer treatment. He’s using his cancer diagnosis as an excuse to lie low because he’s very self-conscious about his speech and reluctant to perform his official public duties,” the courtier told The National Enquirer.

The condition, typically linked with chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension, along with viral infections, has pushed Charles to limit outside contact. “Most of his communications now are written or made through his most senior trusted officials, including [his wife, Queen] Camilla,” the courtier added. Despite efforts, he struggles to keep his condition private.

Earlier in February, Charles announced that he was diagnosed with cancer following a hospital admission for an unrelated condition related to an enlarged prostate. The specific kind of cancer remains undisclosed to the public. However, it is understood that the diagnosis was made at an early stage, and the King has since been receiving “regular treatments.”

It has been reported that the staff of King Charles III have been actively developing his succession plan, raising concerns that his cancer diagnosis might be “more dangerous than we have been led to believe.” Reports suggest that the situation has led the King to begin formalizing his succession plans sooner than expected, placing Prince William at the forefront.

Photos revealing a drooping right eye taken outside St. George’s Chapel in Windsor on Easter Sunday further fueled speculation. “It looks like Bell’s palsy,” noted internist Dr. Gabe Mirkin. “Paralysis of the nerve damaged the facial muscle [resulting in] the indentation on the side of his face. The same thing can happen to the muscles around the eye.”