King Charles Visits Cancer Patients in First Return to Royal Duties
King Charles and Queen Camilla visit the University College Hospital Macmillan Cancer Centre as he officially returns to public duties after taking time away to focus on his cancer treatment.
King Charles III has officially returned to his royal duties following a brief hiatus as he began treatment for his recent cancer diagnosis.
On Tuesday, April 30, the monarch was photographed visiting cancer patients and medical staff at the University College Hospital Macmillan Cancer Centre in London. Joining him for his first royal outing since publicly announcing his ongoing battle with cancer was his wife, Queen Camilla.
For the visit, the 75-year-old king wore a navy blue pinstripe suit and white button-up shirt. He appeared in very good spirits while chatting with patients and staff alongside Camilla, who wore a long dark green leopard print dress.
In addition to the thoughtful visit, the royal couple is also raising awareness of the importance of early diagnosis by highlighting innovative research supported by Cancer Research UK, as the monarch was appointed the Patron of Cancer Research UK and Macmillan Cancer Support, a charity dedicated to helping people living with cancer and promoting better cancer care, per a Hello! Magazine report.
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King Charles' return to the public spotlight is also a clear sign that the royals are ready to return to some sense of normalcy following not one but two recent cancer diagnoses in the family. Weeks after her father-in-law revealed his cancer diagnosis in early February, Princess Kate announced she is also undergoing treatment for an undisclosed type of cancer.
Related: How King Charles' Major Change at Sandringham Estate Will Affect Kate and William
The Royal Family officially confirmed on Friday, April 26 that the monarch would soon return to his normal public-facing duties in a statement shared to Instagram, which was accompanied by a sweet photo of the king and his wife taking a stroll in the gardens on a sunny day.
"His Majesty The King will shortly return to public-facing duties after a period of treatment and recuperation following his recent cancer diagnosis," the statement began.
It went on to explain that the first of the king's many upcoming "external engagements" will be a visit to a local cancer center to greet doctors as well as patients–which is precisely what the monarch was photographed doing on Tuesday.
According to the announcement, more events and public engagements will come in the next few weeks, including a visit from "Their Majesties The Emperor and Empress of Japan for a State Visit in June, at the request of HM Government."
