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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
World
Daniel Keane

King to resume public duties after positive cancer treatment

The King will return to public royal duties after the positive effect of cancer treatment, Buckingham Palace has announced.

Charles has been receiving care as an outpatient for an unspecified type of cancer since early February.

A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said said on Friday: “His Majesty is greatly encouraged to be resuming some public-facing duties and very grateful to his medical team for their continued care and expertise.”

They added that the monarch’s medical team were “greatly encouraged by the progress made so far” and “remain positive” about his continued recovery.

Royal sources stressed that the King is not yet in remission and will continue to receive treatment for the disease.

To mark the development, Buckingham Palace said Charles and Camilla will visit a cancer treatment centre on Tuesday to meet medical specialists and patients.

The news comes as a significant boost to the Royal Family as the Princess of Wales continues her own cancer treatment.

Kate announced last month that she was undergoing chemotherapy for an unspecified cancer following weeks of speculation on social media over her health. It came weeks after the Princess went under the knife for major abdominal surgery.

Charles is not expected to undertake a full summer programme and his attendance at events will be “subject to doctors’ advice”, with “adaptations made where necessary to minimise risk” to the King’s recovery.

It is understood the warmer weather would allow events to be staged outside and minimise the risk posed by other people that many cancer patients face.

The King will also host the Emperor and Empress of Japan for a state visit in June.

Doctors discovered Charles’ cancer in January while he was receiving treatment for an enlarged prostate, though the Palace has said he is not suffering from prostate cancer.

The King postponed all his public-facing engagements following his cancer diagnosis on February 6, but continued his duties as head of state behind palace walls.

During his absence, the Queen stood in for Charles at the Royal Maundy Service at Worcester Cathedral on March 28.

It marked the first time a consort performed the duty on behalf of the monarch.

The summer months are a busy period for the royal family when colourful set-piece events like Trooping the Colour, Garter Day and Royal Ascot are held, with the prospect towards the end of the year of overseas travel as Samoa is hosting the biennial meeting of Commonwealth leaders.

In other developments, a picture marking the first anniversary of the crowning of the King and Queen on May 6 has been released, taken the day after their 19th wedding anniversary on April 10.

The picture shows Charles and Camilla smiling broadly and walking arm in arm along a path with shrubs and colourful flowers in the background.

A Palace spokesperson said planning continues on ways in which the monarch and his wife may attend events in the summer and autumn, although “nothing can be confirmed or guaranteed” and all plans remain subject to medical advice nearer the time.

On Tuesday, Kate was honoured for her public service and support of the arts by the King.

Future Queen Kate, who has been a working member of the royal family for 13 years, has been appointed Royal Companion of The Order of the Companions of Honour.

She is the first member of the royal family to be appointed a Royal Companion in the order’s 107-year history.

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