King Charles in first royal engagement since hospital stint for cancer treatment side effects
THE King attended his first public engagement since his short hospital stay following cancer treatment side effects.
Charles presided over an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle where he recognised leading figures and community stalwarts for their efforts.
The King, 76, made TV gardener Alan Titchmarsh a CBE for services to horticulture and charity.
Meanwhile reigning world heptathlon champion Katarina Johnson-Thompson was made an MBE for services to athletics.
Charles was pictured smiling and waving as he left his Clarence House home in central London on Friday.
He spent the night there with the Queen following the “minor bump” in his cancer journey.
The King cancelled a busy away-day in Birmingham on Friday to prioritise his recovery.
He experienced temporary side effects following treatment at the London Clinic on Thursday morning, which required a short period of hospital observation that day.
Over the coming days, Charles will be carrying out a mix of public engagements, state duties and private meetings.
A small number of appointments have been rescheduled to ensure an appropriate balance ahead of a busy state visit the King and Queen will make to Italy next week.
On Wednesday, the King will fulfil official duties and meetings at Buckingham Palace and hold his weekly audience with the Prime Minister.
He will attend a public engagement in Windsor the following day and celebrate the 80th anniversary of the humanitarian air operator Mission Aviation Fellowship during an event at RAF Northolt in west London.
Friday will be spent making final preparations for the state visit to the Republic of Italy.
The separate state visit to the Holy See, the government of the Roman Catholic Church located in the Vatican, has been postponed as the Pope is recovering from a bout of pneumonia.
The Sun reported that the King had pulled out of two private overseas visits.
These included his annual break to Romania where he owns a property and a short trip to a luxury spa resort in Africa earlier this month.
Timeline of Charles' health battle & recovery
JAN 17, 2024: Buckingham Palace announces the King has been diagnosed with enlarged prostate.
JAN 26: The Sun exclusively photograph the King arriving at The London Clinic for his ‘corrective procedure’.
JAN 29: The King seen waving and smiling as he left hospital after an extra night.
FEB 5: Palace reveal while in hospital for his prostate operation doctors discovered the the King has a form of cancer.
FEB 10: King issues ‘heartfelt thanks’ in a written statement.
FEB 11: Charles makes his first public appearance since the announcement of his cancer diagnosis, visiting St Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham, Norfolk.
MAR 31: King attends Easter Sunday service and tales part in ‘walkabout’ with members of the public and aides say ‘it was a significant step’ as KIng had ‘responded to treatment very encouragingly’.
APR 4: The Sun exclusively reveals King has ordered aides to ‘supercharge’ his diary for the summer and is ‘raring to go’.
APR 26: Buckingham Palace announce King will return to public-facing front-line duties.
APR 30: King Charles visits a cancer treatment centre with Queen Camila to meet patients and medical specialists in order to raise awareness of early diagnosis and the work of Cancer Research UK.
SEP 7: The King’s health is said to be ‘heading in a very positive trajectory’ following a very ‘stressful year’ for the family.
OCT 18: King and Queen begin a landmark tour of Australia. The six-day trip to Canberra and Sydney was Charles’ first to Australia as its head of state. Doctors gave permission to briefly halt his weekly cycle for the tour.
DEC 20: It is announced King’s cancer treatment will continue into next year.
DEC 25: King uses his Christmas address to pay tribute to the ‘selfless’ doctors and nurses who provided ‘strength, care and comfort’ during cancer treatment for himself and the Princess of Wales.
DEC 31: Charles personally honours senior staff that had been on his medical team during his cancer treatment.
MAR 20, 2025: King Charles shared advice with cancer patients telling them to ‘keep b****ring on’.
MAR 27: King taken into hospital after suffering from ‘side effects’ related to his cancer treatment. This ‘short period of observation in hospital’ was not unexpected and the monarch is still said to be ‘very much heading in the right direction’.
Charles was diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer in February 2024.
He returned to public-facing duties last April despite still undergoing weekly treatment.