Last Tuesday, King Charles III resumed his public agenda by visiting a charity organization for cancer treatment. The sovereign returned to his public duties after more than three months retired after being diagnosed and undergoing his own treatment for an undisclosed type of cancer.
When night came, the monarch and his wife, Queen Camilla, held a dinner at their Clarence House residence with the staff of The London Clinic, the hospital where both the sovereign and his daughter-in-law, Kate Middleton, underwent surgeries. planned last January and treated for their illnesses.
This was the first official act since February 6, when Buckingham Palace announced that the monarch would take a break from his public duties to concentrate on the treatment of his illness; something that he continues to do, as the king himself confirmed during his visit, ensuring that he had a new session that same afternoon.
During the day, King Charles III and Queen Camilla met with patients and staff from the Macmillan Cancer Center at University College Hospital in London during their visit, with whom they did not hesitate to talk and listen to their testimonies. King Charles also made an important confession about the moment he learned of his diagnosis of this disease; “It's always a little shocking when they tell you.”
The monarch assured those present that he was “fine,” despite receiving treatment, since he has been able to resume his schedule of official events. “Many patients later said that they felt a personal connection with him, because he understands what they had gone through and what they are still going through,” explained journalist Chris Ship, from the ITV channel, on the social network X (formerly Twitter).
This was the first of several public appearances the monarch is expected to make before the state visit of the Emperor and Empress of Japan, scheduled for June.
A few hours after this visit, the monarch and the queen consort headed to south London, to the Croydon Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Center (RASASC), supported for years by the queen Camilla, where they heard dozens of victims' testimonies.
The monarch seems to be making good progress in his treatment, as confirmed by specialists. Still, it is not very clear how many of the events scheduled in the coming months the king will attend. Summer is a time full of traditional events for the British royal house, with events such as the Ascot hair races, but his presence remains unconfirmed.
For the moment, the king hopes that his recent appearance in this first public event will serve to raise awareness about the benefits of early diagnosis and treatment of cancer and other health problems as he has done during his illness.
