King Charles to resume public duties despite cancer

King Charles will return to public duties next week after taking a step back from his royal commitments following his cancer diagnosis.

The monarch’s outing will see him, accompanied by Queen Camilla, visit a cancer treatment center to meet specialist doctors and patients on Tuesday. This milestone marks the first of several engagements Charles is expected to attend in the coming weeks. In June, he and Camilla will host the Emperor and Empress of Japan for a state visit.

Buckingham Palace announced the news of Charles’ return to work on Instagram with a photo taken by Millie Pilkington. The snap captures a smiling Charles and Camilla walking arm in arm through a garden in full bloom. The king wears a gray suit and blue tie, perfectly matching his wife’s royal blue dress.

“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 past year,” the palace wrote in the legend.

The palace announced the king’s diagnosis on February 5 and said he would postpone his public duties as he was on a regular treatment schedule. Charles did, however, meet Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in February and made his first official public appearance last month when he attended the Easter church service at Windsor Castle.