King Charles III will return to royal duty after cancer diagnosis and treatment : NPR

Britain’s King Charles III (centre), next to Queen Camilla, greets her arrival at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, March 31.

Hollie Adams/AFP/Getty Images

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Hollie Adams/AFP/Getty Images

Britain’s King Charles III (centre), next to Queen Camilla, greets her arrival at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, March 31.

Hollie Adams/AFP/Getty Images

LONDON — King Charles III will soon resume his royal duties.

In a statement sent to reporters on Friday, Buckingham Palace said the king “will soon return to public duties following a period of treatment and recovery following his recent cancer diagnosis.”

It was not made clear whether Charles was cured or whether he had completed his treatment. He never revealed the type or stage of cancer he was diagnosed with. He began unspecified treatment in early February.

To mark what he calls a “milestone” in his return, King Charles and Queen Camilla will visit a cancer treatment center next Tuesday, where they will meet specialist doctors and patients. “This visit will be the first in a series of external engagements that Her Majesty will undertake in the coming weeks,” the statement said.

The palace added that the King and Queen would welcome the Emperor and Empress of Japan for a state visit to Buckingham Palace in June.

King Charles began treatment for cancer just weeks before his daughter-in-law, the Princess of Wales, did the same. She began chemotherapy in late February, but her diagnosis was only made public last month, after months of tabloid scrutiny over her plight and the publication of a family photo that the princess says she altered. The palace also did not reveal the type or stage of her cancer.

Charles’ reign began with the September 2022 death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, who was on the throne longer than any other British monarch. Charles’ coronation took place eight months later, in May 2023.

Friday’s statement from Buckingham Palace concludes: “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 last year.”