Here are more photos of King Charles and Queen Camilla’s visit to University College Hospital Macmillan Cancer Centre on Tuesday. This was officially their first joint-event of the year, because they didn’t have any joint-events in early January, before Charles’s prostate surgery, then his cancer diagnosis came on the heels of that. Charles wore a tie reportedly given to him by Prince Louis – apparently, the pattern is “pink T-Rex.” There was also reporting about what Charles said to various cancer patients and staffers at the center.
The King said it was a “bit of a shock” to be given a cancer diagnosis, as he met fellow patients in his first public engagement since starting treatment. Asked how he was, by a patient undergoing chemotherapy, the King replied: “Not too bad. It’s always a bit of a shock, isn’t it, when they tell you?”
During a visit to University College Hospital Macmillan Cancer Centre, he was asked repeatedly how he was feeling, telling people: “I’m alright thank you very much, not too bad.”
He is understood to be having further treatment this afternoon. Finishing his conversation with a patient who will be continuing her own treatment later, he said: “I know the feeling.”
Several times during the visit, the King said: “We need to get more people tested early.”
The King and Queen arrived at the centre by car, acknowledging a group of waiting press with a wave. Inside, they leapt straight into an impromptu walkabout. So many patients had waited to see them that the hospital’s security staff had put up a rope cordon. As they shook hands with a few dozen people, the King answered questions about his health to say he was “fine” and thanked hospital staff for their hard work.
Mentioning that he was worried the royal visit had stopped people coming in, he was reassured that nobody’s treatment had been affected.
Going through the photos again, Charles really did seem visibly thrilled to get out of the house (castle) and back out in public. Say what you will, but the man waited a long-ass time to be king and he’s going to squeeze every last drop out of it. There will be no abdication and no regency. The Daily Beast’s sources backed that up, with one source telling the Royalist column: “He was so happy to be back. You could see the satisfaction was written all over his face. It is what he was literally born to do, after all.” Another source said: “This (the time since his cancer diagnosis) must have been the hardest time of his life. I’m sure he will be exhausted on one level, but absolutely reinvigorated and fired up on another.” Considering the same Royalist column had Charles with one foot in the funeral pyre last week, it really is an about-face.
The visit marks His Majesty’s first day as Patron of Cancer Research UK (@CR_UK), a position taken on from The late Queen, and the continuation of his role as Patron of @MacmillanCancer.
Wishing the very best to all those continuing cancer treatment on their path to recovery. pic.twitter.com/bYwmyi7WJo
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) April 30, 2024
Photos courtesy of Backgrid, Cover Images.