King Charles III is set to return to "public-facing duties" in the coming weeks, according to an announcement from Buckingham Palace on Friday, April 26. The news comes more than two months after the British monarch revealed he had been diagnosed with an unspecified form of cancer and had taken a step back from royal duties to undergo treatment.
In a statement, the palace said, "His Majesty The King will shortly return to public-facing duties after a period of treatment and recuperation following his recent cancer diagnosis." The royal family's website added that "His Majesty is not yet clear of cancer and is still undergoing treatment, but his medical team are 'pleased with the progress made so far' and 'remain positive' about his recovery."
The announcement of King Charles III's return to public engagements comes just a day after reports surfaced that British officials were updating a lengthy document code-named "Operation Menai Bridge," which details the King's funeral plans upon his death. Additionally, Tom Sykes of the Daily Beast cited friends of the monarch who said of his condition, "It's not good."
"Speaking to friends of the king in recent weeks about his health, the most common response is ... 'It's not good,'" Sykes wrote on Thursday, April 25. A friend told Sykes that Charles "is determined to beat it and they are throwing everything at it," adding, "Everyone is staying optimistic, but he is really very unwell. More than they are letting on."
His Majesty The King will shortly return to public-facing duties after a period of treatment and recuperation following his recent cancer diagnosis.
To help mark this milestone, The King and Queen will make a joint visit to a cancer treatment centre next Tuesday, where they… pic.twitter.com/jWF8ITP0rg — The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) April 26, 2024
To mark the milestone of his return to public duties, King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla will make a joint visit to a cancer treatment center next Tuesday, where they will meet with medical specialists and patients. This visit will be the first in a series of external engagements His Majesty will undertake in the weeks ahead.
Furthermore, the King and Queen will host the Emperor and Empress of Japan for a State Visit in June, at the request of the British government. The royal statement emphasized, "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."
The news of King Charles III's cancer diagnosis has also had a profound impact on the future roles of Prince William and Kate Middleton, the Prince and Princess of Wales. According to royal biographer Tina Brown, the couple is grappling with the "intense anxiety" of being pushed closer to ascending the throne earlier than anticipated.
"The almost simultaneous news of Charles' cancer has put William and Catherine in frightening proximity to ascending the throne just when they had hoped for a span of years to parent their children out of the public eye," Brown wrote in an essay. "The prospect of it, I am told, is causing them intense anxiety."
Adding to the royal family's health concerns, Kate Middleton recently announced her own cancer diagnosis and chemotherapy, which has led to her stepping back from public appearances and royal duties. In March, the Princess of Wales took to Instagram to update fans on her well-being, revealing that she had undergone major abdominal surgery in January and was now in the early stages of preventive chemotherapy after tests found cancer had been present.
