The ailing King and his public

Millions of less-privileged people, often older, often lonelier, live vicariously through it.

They colour and animate their own stories through the unending Windsor family drama.

This is not trivial: as soon as Charles was admitted to hospital for his benign prostate problem, many men of a certain age quietly took note and called the GP .

Some would have had prostate cancer, and will survive as a result of noting what the king had done.