Has King Charles’ support for so-called alternative medicine (SCAM) ceased?

While still Prince of Wales, Charles was once asked if his campaigning for so-called alternative medicine (SCAM) would continue once he became king. His answer was unusually clear: “No, it won’t. I’m not that stupid.” Now that he has been king for three years, it seems reasonable to review his activities in SCAM during this period. Here is a brief summary:

• In 2023, Charles appointed Dr. Michael Dixon (yes, you may have met him several times before, e.g. here, here, or here) as the Head of the Royal Medical Household.
• Charles retained his role as Royal Patron of the Faculty of Homeopathy, an organisation dedicated to supporting registered health professionals who practice homeopathy.
• Charles and Camilla have continued their practice of visiting the Soukya International Holistic Health Centre in India, which employs treatments like Ayurveda, homeopathy, and yoga.
• In 2023, in THE TIMES reported that Charles has decided to use one particularly implausible form of SCAM, reflexology, for helping women who have difficulties getting pregnant.
• One of Charles’ charities had to return £110,000 to the Indian government in 2023. The funds had been earmarked for an NHS SCAM clinic championed by Charles. Yet, the clinic never materialised. The ‘Ayurvedic Centres of Excellence’ was to open in 2018 in London. Funding was to come from the Indian government and from private donors. At the time, Dr Michael Dixon commented enthusiastically: “This is going to be the first Ayurvedic centre of excellence in the UK. We will be providing, on the NHS, patients with yoga, with demonstrations and education on healthy eating, Ayurvedic diets, and massage including reflexology and Indian head massage. And all this will be subject to a research project led by Westminster University, to find out whether the English population will take to yoga and these sorts of treatments. Whether they will be helped by it and finally whether it will reduce the call on NHS resources leading to less GP consultations, hospital admissions and operations.”
• In 2024, Charles has personally honoured Dr Michael Dixon, head of the Royal Medical Household, by making him  a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO).

While less outspoken on the topic of SCAM since his accession than he was as the Prince of Wales, these published activities (it seems safe to assume that thaere are many more the public does not learn about) clearly are a royal endorsement for SCAM. In other words, when Charles predicted “I’m not that stupid”, he may not have been entirely correct.