Today, Buckingham Palace announced that King Charles will return to public-facing duties next week, after four months out of the spotlight undergoing “treatment and recuperation” in the aftermath of his cancer diagnosis in February. To mark this milestone, the king and Queen Camilla are set to visit a cancer treatment center on Tuesday, where they will meet with both medical specialists and patients. “This visit will be the first in a number of external engagements His Majesty will undertake in the weeks ahead,” the Palace said, also sharing that the royals will host the Emperor and Empress of Japan for a state visit in June.
In January, the British monarch shared the news that he was undergoing a “corrective procedure” for an enlarged prostate, the day after the Princess of Wales announced that she had undergone abdominal surgery. On February 7, the Palace shared another statement confirming that the king had been diagnosed with cancer, which had been discovered during his previous hospital treatment. They also noted that the king would be stepping back from public-facing duties for a period, but would be continuing with his constitutional role as head of state, which includes paperwork and private meetings.
The news comes after growing speculation over the past weeks around the status of the king’s health, with some international outlets, including The Daily Beast, reporting that the monarch’s funeral plans were being “regularly updated.” (It’s worth noting that this doesn’t necessarily augur the worst, given the plans surrounding the Queen’s death—known as Operation London Bridge—were also refreshed periodically throughout her reign.)
It has been a turbulent year for the British royal family: in particular, due to the rampant social media speculation surrounding the health of the Princess of Wales, which led her to release a public statement confirming her own cancer diagnosis on March 22. Yet Buckingham Palace ended their briefing on a positive note—by looking ahead to May 6, when King Charles and Queen Camilla will be celebrating one year on the throne. “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 statement concluded.