Cancer-Battling King Charles' 'Marriage in Crisis': He's 'Ignoring' Wife Queen Camilla's Pleas to Stop 'Working Himself to Death'

Cancer-stricken King Charles has triggered a bitter rift with alarmed wife Camilla by ignoring her desperate pleas to ease off his hectic schedule before he kills himself.

And now RadarOnline.com can reveal his refusal is rocking their marriage.

An insider said: "Queen Camilla is terrified her stubborn husband is working himself to death as he gets intense chemotherapy treatments.

"She's begging him to cut back his packed schedule, which includes a grueling overseas tour of Australia next month, but he won't listen."

The insider continued: "They've known each other over 50 years and Camilla is the one, and sometimes only, person he'll listen to. But not anymore – and it's rocking their almost 20-year marriage."

Royal sources say Charles, 75, is dead set on making his mark on the monarchy while he still can.

A palace insider said: "Charles waited 70 years to take the throne and while he knows he can't rival his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth, in longevity and popularity, he's going to try until the end.

"His view is 'There's not much point being king if you're not going to act like a king.' He says the royals need to be seen to be believed and that's what he's doing – consequences to his health be damned."

The royal marriage crisis exploded when Charles – diagnosed with an unrelated cancer after a prostate procedure in January – quit his planned vacation at the family's Scottish retreat at Balmoral Castle just hours after arriving.

A source said: "The king had no sooner taken part in the traditional welcoming ceremony than he was back in the air – alone. He flew hundreds of miles to Southport."

Southport is the English town rocked by riots after three young children attending a Taylor Swift-themed dance class were murdered.

The royal insider continued: "The following day he was in London for a private meeting with bereaved parents, before receiving more cancer treatment and heading back to Balmoral at the end of the week."

But the grueling, emotion-draining trip was said to be the straw that broke Camilla's back.

The palace insider added: "She was apparently furious he broke off his holiday when he so desperately needs the rest. I'm told tempers flared when Charles blatantly disregarded her pleas to delay the trip.

"She's been begging him to cut back engagements for months, but he just ignores her – and Camilla doesn't like to be ignored. She waited a long time to become queen, enduring the humiliation of being publicly branded the mistress who broke up his marriage to Princess Diana.

"Camilla doesn't want Charles keeling over anytime soon so she'll be kicked out of the palace."

The atmosphere at their Highland home turned icy when he returned to Scotland.

A source said: "Camilla sees the toll the cancer and chemo are taking on Charles. He's lost weight and often looks frail.

"She wants him to prioritize his health and recovery, but it's apparently like talking to a brick wall.

"Happy wife, happy life doesn't apply here. Charles is in charge and doesn't want to hear No, Don't or Mustn't. He's determined to show he puts country above himself.

"The king knows people are waiting for his heirs, Prince William and Princess Kate, to take the throne and he doesn't want to be seen as a lame duck."

Meanwhile, Charles' 77-year-old wife has made no secret of her fear her husband is exhausting himself with too many public engagements.

She's reportedly confided to well-wishers she believes he's working too hard and risking a deadly setback in his recovery.

Camilla has even complained to author Lee Child, saying: "Charles won't slow down and won't do what he's told."

A palace insider said: "The truth is Camilla is at her wit's end over Charles. The cancer diagnosis has driven home to Charles how little time he likely has left.

"Seeing official plans being made for his state funeral – something done for every monarch way before they're needed – has only intensified his obsession to keep up a breakneck schedule as long as he can.

"Frankly, Camilla is wasting her breath trying to stop him – and who knows how that will affect their marriage."

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