King Charles waved cheerfully to royal fans and tourists today as he left Clarence House after returning from a short trip to Scotland with Queen Camilla, where they celebrated their 19th wedding anniversary.
As he left his central London home in his maroon Bentley limousine, the monarch, who was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year, appeared in elation.
Excited royal onlookers snapped photos of Charles as he passed by, with many appearing shocked that they had been so lucky to catch a glimpse of the king in the flesh.
Charles and Queen Camilla returned from their short stay at the Balmoral Estate in Aberdeenshire last night. It was his first visit to the country since revealing his diagnosis, sending shockwaves around the world.
While he was receiving treatment, the king largely stepped back from his public duties, but continued to read his daily red boxes and hold his weekly audience with the prime minister.
King Charles waved cheerfully to royal fans and tourists as he left Clarence House this morning
Excited royal onlookers snapped photos of Charles as he passed by, and many seemed shocked that they had been so lucky to catch a glimpse of the king in real life
However, it’s clear that Charles plans to “ramp up his schedule” in the coming weeks.
It comes after the king appeared alongside other senior royals at the Easter Sunday service at Sandringham, providing a much-needed boost to the British public coming to terms with both his and the Princess of Wales’ cancer diagnoses.
The king was seen shaking hands and chatting with royal fans who lined the nearby road, with many wishing him well, while one royal fan told Charles to ‘never give in’.
The King and Queen arrived on Thursday evening Aberdeen Airport from RAF Northolt in north-west London, Charles and Camilla traveled to Birkenhall on Thursday evening.
They were spotted heading to Sunday service at Crathie Kirk this weekend, smiling as they passed by.
Birkenhall was home to the late Queen Mother on the Balmoral estate and later came into the possession of the King.
It is located 11 kilometers from the castle and is where the King and Queen spent their honeymoon after tying the knot on April 11, 2005.
The monarch, like his daughter-in-law Kate, has not revealed which form of cancer he is battling.
The King and Queen pictured arriving in Aberdeen for a romantic getaway at their beloved Highland retreat as the couple celebrate their 19th wedding anniversary
Cancer-stricken King Charles smiled as Queen Camilla waved friendly to people as they drove to Sunday service at Crathie Kirk
The Princess of Wales revealed she received preventive treatment last month after her cancer diagnosis
It is unclear whether he has completed his care or is recovering between treatments while visiting the Scottish highlands.
Charles was previously advised by doctors to avoid large-scale public events and visits to protect his health during a crucial stage of his treatment.
Despite this, he has remained in the public eye and it is clear that he will ‘ramp up’ his schedule in the coming weeks.
An insider previously told the Mail: ‘The idea of a locked-up monarch would not work these days and will only lead to damaging speculation about His Majesty’s health.’
A source added last month: ‘While it is too early to confirm things – and it is of course relatively early in His Majesty’s treatment cycle – the patient is positive, the doctors are optimistic and the treatments are incredibly advanced.’
Before Charles possibly became more famous, he retreated to the remote estate in the heart of the Cairngorms National Park.
Queen Elizabeth spent most of her summers on the estate, riding horses or taking long walks.
Charles and Camilla also celebrated their 15th wedding anniversary at Birkhall, their home on the Balmoral Estate, on April 8, 2020.
Looking at the house dating from 1715, across the road from Birkhall, on the Balmoral Estate in Aberdeenshire
Birkhall, which used to belong to the Queen Mother, is seven miles from Balmoral Castle (pictured)
It is understood that Charles previously used the Birkhall retreat to recover from a corrective procedure after being diagnosed with an enlarged prostate during his stay there.
He also chose it as his honeymoon destination with Camilla after their wedding 19 years ago, and they spent New Year’s Day there last year.
The monarch is said to be ‘so optimistic’ about his treatment that he hopes to attend Royal Ascot this summer, as well as some of the garden parties at Buckingham Palace honoring community and military heroes.
The Balmoral estate has been home to the royal family for more than a century.
Earlier this month it was announced that the king will open the interior of Balmoral to the public for the first time from July 1.
King Charles inspects Balaklava Company at the gates of Balmoral in 2023
Queen Elizabeth II waits to meet new Conservative Party leader and British Prime Minister-elect Liz Truss at Balmoral Castle on September 6, 2022 – two days before she died
The Center Room in the East Wing of Buckingham Palace, London, will open to the public this summer
Just days later it was announced that Buckingham Palace‘s famous middle room where the Royal family gather before the performances on the balcony would open to the public for the first time.
The decision to open both estates comes after the monarch announced his intention to open the doors of official royal residences to the public.
Royal fans went wild, with tickets to the Scottish estate costing between £100 and £150 and selling out within a day, causing the website to crash.
However, those who missed out on this opportunity are now in luck, because for the price of £75, visitors can take a tour of the London-based royal residence.
The public can go behind the scenes of the East Wing of Buckingham Palace – the front facade overlooking The Mall, where on major occasions crowds gather to view the monarchy.