King Charles III is showing the public he feels his health is moving in a positive direction by increasing his workload and appearances, a British news show has heard, after the 75-year-old monarch was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year.
Buckingham Palace announced on February 5 that following a routine procedure to treat an enlarged prostate, doctors had found evidence of cancer and that the monarch would undergo treatment requiring him to scale back his appearances and working commitments.
The palace made efforts to reassure the public that the king would continue his functions as head of state despite his condition.
As a result, Charles has been noticeably less visible, with his nationwide rounds of engagements (estimated to have been over 400 in 2023) dramatically reduced to avoid large crowds while his immune system is understood to be compromised during treatment.
In recent weeks, however, the king appears to be sending positive signs that he feels able to reestablish his more typical type of appearances. This comes as the royal family faced a second major health crisis in March, with the announcement that Princess Kate is also undergoing treatment for cancer.
"He just keeps doing more and more work which I think is a great sign," Newsweek's chief royal correspondent, Jack Royston, told Sky News anchor Kay Burley on Wednesday.
"He is really showing us, through his actions, that he thinks he is on the mend and getting better and that his prognosis is good."
Newsweek approached Buckingham Palace via email for comment.
Royston's comments follow Charles' decision to attend the traditional royal Easter Sunday service at St George's Chapel in Windsor on March 31. The monarch's presence would typically have been expected, though this year remained unconfirmed until closer to the day itself.
To mark the service, Charles attended alongside Queen Camilla, who has increased her own engagements while her husband has been ill to offset some of the missed workload.
Charles surprised well-wishers and the press who waited outside the chapel, by approaching them to undertake an unannounced walkabout, meeting and greeting them. This was the first time the king interacted with the public in such a way since before his cancer announcement.
Speaking of the gesture, Majesty magazine editor-in-chief and royal biographer Ingrid Seward previously told Newsweek: "King Charles enjoys integrating with people wherever they are from. His 'meet and greet' is part of his definition of being a monarch. Being 'Defender of the Faith,' this would be especially poignant on Easter Sunday."
The Easter appearance was generally taken as a positive sign, as were reports that the monarch still intends to visit Australia and New Zealand later this year.
On Tuesday, the king met with executives of the Bank of England at Buckingham Palace, where they presented him with the first bank notes that will feature his face in Britain.
Notes featuring Queen Elizabeth II are still in circulation and will continue to be for a period alongside the new notes featuring Charles. The five, 10, 20 and 50 pound notes will be introduced from June.
James Crawford-Smith is Newsweek's royal reporter, based in London. You can find him on X (formerly Twitter) at @jrcrawfordsmith and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page.
Do you have a question about King Charles III, William and Kate, Meghan and Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email royals@newsweek.com. We'd love to hear from you.
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James Crawford-Smith is a Newsweek Royal Reporter, based in London, U.K. His focus is reporting on the British royal family ... Read more
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