After undergoing surgery for an enlarged prostate and being diagnosed with cancer in February, King Charles has returned to public-facing duties.
Overnight, His Majesty had a full day of appearances.
In the morning, he was accompanied by Queen Camilla and the pair attended a service at St Paul’s Cathedral.
The service was dedicated to The Order of the British Empire, an award that recognises outstanding contributions among a range of industries and attended by almost 2000 people who held the honour of an MBE, OBE, CBE, Knighthood or Damehood.
Their Majesties hold senior roles in The Order of the British Empire, King Charles the Sovereign and Queen Camillas the Grand Master. The pair entered the church wearing the mantle of the OBE, the official royal red robes looking the picture of reigning monarchs.
Following the service, King Charles and Queen Camilla hosted their second garden party this month in honour of those in the creative industries such as art, culture, heritage, TV, fashion and film.
The Sovereign’s Creative Industries Garden Party was held at Buckingham Palace and saw Their Majesties mingling with people across the industries while they strolled the lawn in matching pastel pink attire.
At the beginning of the week, His Majesty passed on a role he had held for 32 years to his eldest son, Prince William. The Prince of Wales was appointed Colonel-in-Chief of the Army Air Corp.
The King made a brief speech during the handover ceremony at the Army Aviation Centre in Hampshire.
“I did just want to say what a great joy it is to be with you even briefly on this occasion, but also tinged with great sadness after 32 years of knowing you all and admiring all your many activities and your achievements throughout the time, I’ve been lucky enough to be Colonel-in-Chief of the Army Air Corps,” he said.
King Charles referred to his son as “a very good pilot” and wished the unit all the best for the future under William’s lead.
Earlier in May, the King held Buckingham Palace’s first garden party of the year. He was joined by his wife, Queen Camilla, Princess Anne, Prince Edward, Sophie, Duchess of and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.
The event, which celebrates the United Kingdom’s creative industries, saw 8000 guests who work across film, fashion, TV, radio other industries make their way to the grounds of Buckingham Palace.
It came just days after His Majesty officially returned to regal duties when he and Queen Camilla, attended the University College Hospital Macmillan Cancer Centre in London. During the visit they sat with patients and spoke to staff about the importance of early detection and prevention, and their use of innovative technology to do so.
King Charles reported that he was feeling “alright”, and even disclosed to a patient that he was undergoing a round of treatment himself later that day.
This visit marks his first day as the new Patron of Cancer Research UK. While this position is a continuation of his role as Patron of Macmillan Cancer Support, King Charles’ new role is one passed on by his late mother, Queen Elizabeth.
The visit follows a statement released by Buckingham Palace, announcing the King’s return to public-facing duties along with his summer schedule of events.
“To help mark this milestone, The King and Queen will make a joint visit to a cancer treatment centre next Tuesday, where they will meet medical specialists and patients.
“This visit will be the first in a number of external engagements His Majesty will undertake in the weeks ahead.” the statement read.
“In addition, The King and Queen will host Their Majesties The Emperor and Empress of Japan for a State Visit in June, at the request of HM Government.
“As the first anniversary of The Coronation approaches, Their Majesties remain deeply grateful for the many kindnesses and good wishes they have received from around the world throughout the joys and challenges of the past year.”
This comes after King Charles first revealed he had been diagnosed with cancer on February 6, sharing the cancer was discovered during his recent surgery for a benign prostate enlargement. The type of cancer has not been disclosed.
The King’s willingness to share his diagnosis with the public is unsurprising as it comes not long after his recent transparency over his scheduled surgery for an enlarged prostate.
In the full statement issued by the palace, they confirmed the reasoning behind this decision was to “prevent speculation” and to raise awareness and “public understanding” for those impacted by cancer.
