King Charles III meets supporters as he arrives with Queen Camilla to visit the Roe Valley Arts and Cultural Centre in Limavady on March 20, 2025, during a three-day trip to Northern Ireland. (Credit: Henry Nicholls/AFP.)
King Charles III resumed his official duties on Tuesday after a three-day break to recover from the “side effects” of his cancer treatment. He appeared smiling at an honorary medal ceremony at Windsor Castle, west of London.
The 76-year-old monarch, who has been receiving treatment for over a year for an undisclosed type of cancer, was ordered to rest on Thursday by his doctors after experiencing “side effects” from his treatment. The incident was described as a “minor bump on a road clearly heading in the right direction” by a royal source.
In uniform, the king shook hands with distinguished individuals, including reigning world heptathlon champion Katarina Johnson-Thompson and Royal Opera House dancer Marianela Núñez. The king will have other engagements this week, including his weekly meeting with Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The royal couple is then scheduled to travel to Italy from April 7 to 10.
Charles III ascended to the throne upon the death of his mother, Elizabeth II, on Sept. 8, 2022.
Two years later, in Feb. 2024, he surprised the world by announcing his cancer diagnosis. A month later, Princess Kate, the wife of heir to the throne Prince William, revealed she was also diagnosed with cancer. In mid-January, she announced she was in remission.
The king resumed his commitments at the end of April 2024. In October, he resumed his international travels, undertaking an 11-day trip to Australia and Samoa for the Commonwealth summit, accompanied by his wife Camilla, and temporarily pausing his treatment for the occasion. His schedule has gradually filled up, with the king believing that maintaining his royal commitments contributed to his well-being.
