King Charles shares major detail of his health treatment in New Year Honours list
King Charles has honoured his medical team in his New Year Honours list by personally giving awards to senior staff members who have assisted him. The King has awarded two members of his medical team under the RVO, an honour given independently of Downing Street to individuals who have served the monarch or the Royal family in a personal capacity.
Dr. Douglas Glass, known as the apothecary to the King, and Professor Richard Leach, the King's physician, have both been recognised for their personal service to the monarch and the Royal family in the 2025 Honours List. In addition to treating King Charles, Dr. Glass was also Queen Elizabeth II’s personal apothecary and was present at Balmoral during her passing. Professor Leach, on the other hand, is a consultant physician at the private King Edward VII's Hospital in central London, a favourite among the royals for decades.
It's not unusual for Royal family doctors to receive personal recognition, as demonstrated when King Charles' mother knighted her Head of the Medical Household, Sir Huw Thomas, in 2021. While King Charles has recognised Professor Leach and Dr. Glass, he appointed Dr. Michael Dixon, a GP with over 50 years of experience, as head of the Royal Medical Household.
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Dr. Dixon, a Fellow of the Royal College of GPs and the Royal College of Physicians, previously served as a medical adviser to the monarch when he was Prince of Wales. His appointment raised some eyebrows due to his interest in complementary and alternative medicine, especially homeopathy.
Buckingham Palace clarified Dr Dixon's stance on homeopathy, stating: "Dr Dixon does not believe homeopathy can cure cancer. His position is that complementary therapies can sit alongside conventional treatments, provided they are safe, appropriate and evidence based."
