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King Charles sometimes sleeps apart from Queen Camilla due to a little-known health condition that affects his breathing at night, a royal author has claimed. Writing in his recently released book The Windsor Legacy: A Royal Dynasty, author Robert Jobson revealed that the King suffers from "draining sleep apnoea." The author also said that the monarch now uses a CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) machine to keep his airways open and prevent interruptions in breathing. Sleep apnoea, a condition where breathing repeatedly stops during sleep, can cause extreme fatigue, poor concentration, and other health problems if left untreated. Charles’s struggle with fatigue was previously highlighted by Prince Harry in the 2018 BBC documentary Prince, Son and Heir: Charles at 70, when he revealed that his father would sometimes fall asleep at his desk with papers stuck to his face due to exhaustion. Mr Jobson also wrote that the monarch now uses a CPAP machine to keep his airways open and prevent interruptions in breathing. "Charles’s life and energy levels improved dramatically after he started using a CPAP machine, introduced to him by former US Vice President Al Gore when he hosted him at Highgrove, to treat the condition where breathing repeatedly stops during sleep, causing fatigue and poor concentration," Mr Jobson wrote. "He now swears by the device that delivers steady air pressure to keep airways open, preventing disruptions. Although it does mean that Charles and Camilla sometimes sleep apart." Despite his health challenges, Charles has continued to maintain a busy schedule. According to the book, King Charles often jokes with friends, saying he has reached a “worryingly decrepit stage” of life and describes it as a “conglomerated miasma” of conflict and chaos, though those close to him know there is a serious side behind the humour. Sleep apnoea is common among older adults and, if untreated, can increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and daytime fatigue. Charles’s openness about the condition sheds light on a health issue that affects millions, while also illustrating how even a monarch must sometimes make personal adjustments for the sake of wellbeing. King Charles’s health has been a cause of concern recently after it was announced he was diagnosed with an unspecified form of cancer in February 2024, beginning treatment shortly afterwards. The King withdrew from public events in the weeks after his cancer was revealed, but carried on his constitutional role as head of state, completing paperwork and holding private meetings. He resumed his public duties at the end of April 2025, when he visited a cancer treatment centre with Camilla. The NHS advised that sleep apnoea can sometimes be treated by making lifestyle changes like losing weight, giving up smoking, and reducing how much alcohol you drink. For more information, visit the NHS website . Buckingham Palace declined to comment when contacted by the Mirror .
