King Charles III is in good health and eager to resume his public duties following his cancer diagnosis earlier this year, according to Penny Mordaunt, a minister in Rishi Sunak's Conservative government. Mordaunt, who serves as the Speaker of the House of Commons, provided an update on the monarch's well-being during an appearance on GB News.
"He's very good. And I know that he would have been so pleased to get back to public duties. He would have missed it tremendously," Mordaunt said. "I think everyone is really pleased to see him back and I know that he wants to do more, so it's been a good week."
King Charles had undergone a procedure on an enlarged prostate in January and was subsequently diagnosed with cancer in a different part of his body in early February. The health concerns had prompted the king to step back from the public eye for several months, while continuing with scaled-down royal duties. On April 26, he announced his return to public duties, with his first official engagement being a visit to a cancer charity on April 30.
Reflecting on her meetings with the king in her role as Lord President of the Council, Mordaunt praised his character and concern for others. "I think people won't be surprised to know that he's completely charming and always calm," she said. "And he's also got a really good sense of humor as well. But he's always asking about how things are going, particularly issues that we're dealing with in Parliament or about particular groups who he knows that are having a rough time."
Mordaunt, who carried the Sword of State during the King's Coronation last year, also shared her experience of the historic event. "I was very proud to have been part of that incredible experience," she said. "I think the whole nation was part of it and was proud of it as well. And that national pride and confidence I think is really important to our nation moving forward and making progress and we can't have enough of it."
Despite the pressures of the Coronation, Mordaunt emphasized the camaraderie and teamwork that went into ensuring the ceremony's success. "We were all working together and the camaraderie was amazing," she said, adding that rehearsals had taken place across the country to ensure the procession was timed to perfection.
Looking ahead, King Charles is expected to attend a garden party at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday, May 8, shortly after braving rainy conditions at the Royal Windsor Horse Show on May 3. Meanwhile, speculation is mounting about a possible meeting between the king and his son, Prince Harry, who is set to arrive in Britain for a Service of Thanksgiving marking the 10th anniversary of his Invictus Games tournament for wounded veterans.
The service, which will be held at St. Paul's Cathedral in London on Wednesday, has led to much media speculation about whether the father and son will take the opportunity to see each other while both are in the city. Royal commentator Jennie Bond told GB News, "I always say health is a great leveler, it's really good at bringing people together. If both parties can make time, it would be great for them to have that time together."
As the nation continues to rally around King Charles following his health challenges, Mordaunt emphasized the importance of the monarchy in providing continuity and unity. "You see the importance at those key moments we've had in the last 12 to 18 months. They remind us what we all have in common. They pull us all together," she said. "And at the time of the late Queen's death, when we had this moment of tremendous political turmoil that was going on at the same time, I think other nations would have not coped with that situation as well as we did."
