Campaigners will be protesting in Worcester on Thursday when Camilla arrives for the Maundy service.

Campaign group Republic will have a small contingent of activists there, ready for when Camilla arrives.

Republic protested this event in York last year and will again in the future, with one simple message: it's time to end the monarchy.

On Friday Republic tweeted "We're very sorry to hear about Kate's cancer diagnosis and wish her a speedy recovery."

Graham Smith, speaking for Republic, said today:

"Unlike royalists, we don't conflate the family with the institution. It's the institution we're protesting against this week.

"This is a campaign about principles, politics and reform. We criticise the royals in their capacity as public officials on the public payroll - those criticisms are serious and many. Yet the monarchy is not about the individuals and their private lives."

"Republic's campaign continues unabated and the protests will continue for as long as the monarchy is there."

"It is a corrupt institution that is bad for Britain's democracy, an obstacle to reform and a reminder that inequality is seen by some as a natural order rather than a problem to be tackled."

"That's one reason support for the monarchy is dropping, with some polls putting that support below 50%."

"Unfortunately, royalists don't often see it that way and even now as royal commentators bemoan intrusions on royal privacy they continue to intrude on the private lives of royals. They of course ignore the serious issues and instead treat the whole issue as a state-funded reality show."

"When Camilla visits Worcester on Thursday it will be a reminder too of how out of touch the monarchy is with the values of most of us. Values such as equality, democracy and the rule of law."

"Republic is a broad-church movement, with relgious and non-religious members. The protest this week, while outside the cathedral, is about the monarchy, not the church."

"So, we'll be there to protest against monarchy, to protest for a republic and to call out one single message: Down with the Crown."

See Republic's website for polling data: www.republic.org.uk/press_releases