King Charles, cancer patient, resumes public duties with visit to cancer hospital

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1. World News

• Published: Apr. 30, 2024, 1:22 p.m.

Britain's King Charles III meets patients on Tuesday, April 30, during a visit to the University College Hospital Macmillan Cancer Centre in London. It was the king's first public engagement since he was diagnosed with cancer in February.AP

LONDON — King Charles III, sidelined for three months by his own cancer diagnosis, returned to public duties on Tuesday, visiting a cancer treatment facility.

The event was the king's first formal public engagement since Feb. 6, when Buckingham Palace announced that he would be taking a break from public duties to focus on his treatment for an undisclosed type of cancer.

Tuesday's appearance gives Charles another opportunity to raise awareness of the benefits of early diagnosis and treatment of cancer and other health problems as he has done throughout his illness, The Associated Press said.

Previously: King Charles' early cancer diagnosis sparks 'shock', Harry flies to London

Related: Catherine, Princess of Wales, reveals she has cancer

It is one of several public appearances Charles will make in the coming weeks as part of a carefully managed comeback while preparing to host a state visit by the emperor and empress of Japan in June.

While the stop was a symbolic one, it also should be a boost to the British people, The Washington Post said. Charles is the monarch, but he has entered another realm and is now a cancer patient as well. This has unnerved the nation, but the photos of him out again in public appeared welcome.

At the London cancer hospital he spoke with staff, marveled at the CT scanner and met with patients. He sat with one woman, her head wrapped in a scarf, sitting in one of those plastic chairs they have in waiting rooms. He held hands with another patient. And the king looked good, the Post said.

With the summer comes a series of traditional royal events, but it's unclear how many Charles will attend, the AP said.

Among those are the king's formal birthday parade. Charles turned 75 in November, but the sovereign's official birthday is celebrated with the ceremony of the King's Birthday Parade, also known as Trooping the Color, that takes place in June.

There also is the horse racing at Royal Ascot later in the month.

The palace said last week that doctors were "very encouraged" by the king's progress, but his schedule would be adjusted as needed to protect his recovery.

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