King Charles beamed and waved as he walked to St Mary Magdalene Church for Sunday service yesterday, despite holding the knowledge he had been diagnosed with cancer.
A statement issued by Buckingham Palace tonight revealed a type of cancer was identified during the King’s recent hospital procedure for benign prostate enlargement.
The monarch, 75, has returned to London from Sandringham to begin treatment immediately.
It is not connected with his recent surgery and is not prostate cancer, but medics spotted it when he underwent his medical procedure for an enlarged prostate.
Despite the diagnosis, King Charles looked in high spirits ahead of the church service at the Sandringham Estate Chapel on Sunday, following the short hospital stay last week.
As he stepped out for the first time since greeting fans outside the London Clinic after he was discharged last Monday, the Monarch donned his trademark camel coat and carried an umbrella.
Charles was flanked by Queen Camilla, 76, who looked stylish in a wide-brimmed fur hat, a navy coat and a light blue scarf.
King Charles and Queen Camilla looked in high spirits as they walked to St Mary Magdalene Church on the Sandringham Estate
A group of around 20 supporters had gathered to wish the 75-year-old King well on his visit to the 18th century church.
But they were left disappointed when they found the gates to the paddock area outside the church were locked, meaning they could not reach the roped off path where spectators are usually allowed to stand.
It meant they had to watch the King from a distance of around 150 yards.
Sunday marked King Charles’s first service for three weeks; he was still being monitored in the London Clinic last Sunday and the week before, he chose to rest up ahead of the routine procedure.
Well wishes for the King have poured in from across the political spectrum after Buckingham Palace announced he was diagnosed with a form of cancer.
Charles has favored a schedule of regular treatments and has been advised to postpone his public-facing duties.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said on X: ‘Wishing His Majesty a full and speedy recovery.
‘I have no doubt he’ll be back to full strength in no time and I know the whole country will be wishing him well.’
Labor leader Sir Keir Starmer tweeted: ‘On behalf of the Labor Party, I wish His Majesty all the very best for his recovery.
‘We look forward to seeing him back to swift full health.’
Shadow health secretary Wes Streeting, who received treatment for kidney cancer in 2021, said: ‘One in two of us will develop cancer during our lives, but millions more are affected when someone they love is diagnosed with cancer.
‘Sending best wishes to His Majesty for his treatment and to his family as they support him throughout.’
The King was also praised for making his diagnosis public.
Health and Social Care Secretary Victoria Atkins wrote on X: ‘My thoughts are with King Charles and the whole Royal Family.
‘His decision to share his diagnosis to assist public understanding for all those affected by cancer is commendable.
‘Wishing His Majesty the very best and look forward to seeing him resume his public duties.’
Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle told MPs: ‘I know the whole House will wish to join me in expressing our sympathies with His Majesty the King following the news announcement this evening.
‘Our thoughts are, of course, with His Majesty and his family, and we’d all wish to send him our very best wishes for the successful treatment and a speedy recovery following tonight’s news.’
The monarch, 74, waved to well-wishers as he strolled through the Norfolk estate, and appeared in good spirits following his hospital stay
Charles and Camilla were greeted outside the church by Sandringham rector, the reverend Canon Paul Williams who shook him warmly by the hand and gave him a reassuring pat on the arm.
The rector exchanged a few words with the King, and Charles replied with a smile on his face giving the impression that all was well.
Part time engineering company worker Kay Miller of Witchford, Cambridgeshire, who watched Charles walk to the church today, said: ‘He looked OK.
‘I saw him going to church earlier in January when we could stand next to the path as he walked by, and he looks just the same now.
‘I came on the off chance today that we might see him. It looks like he is back to his old self, and it is brilliant to see him up and about. It certainly looks like he is better.’
Kay’s friend David Patterson of Haddenham, Cambridgeshire, added: ‘It’s great that he walked to church. He is not a young person, but it shows he is fit.’
Royal fan Annabel Young, 27, of Ipswich, Suffolk, who was with her three-year-old son Jasper Davies-Young, said: ‘It was so nice to see him back to his old routine.
‘It is just a shame that we couldn’t get through the locked gates and we had to make do with seeing him from far away.’
Following the service the King and Queen were escorted out of the church by the rector and his assistant after the hour long service.
The Royal couple spent a few seconds chatting to the two white-robed clergy before bidding them farewell and walking back to Sandringham House for lunch.
The King turned to admire an array of snowdrops before stepping through a gate into the private grounds of his home on his 20,000 acre Norfolk estate.
It comes after Queen Camilla has stepped up her royal engagements while King Charles has taken some recovery time following his procedure.
She has had a busy week, carrying out various royal engagements while her husband recovered at home after leaving the London Clinic, where the Princess of Wales was also in recovery.
Mother-of-three Kate, 41, is taking time to recover from planned abdominal surgery earlier this month and is not expected to return to royal duties until after Easter.
As a result, Prince William also postponed his royal duties for a short time to be there for Kate and their three children Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, eight, and Prince Louis, five.
With three working royals out of action, Queen Camilla has led the royal charge as the most senior royal currently carrying out engagements.