King Charles III's return to work while receiving treatment for cancer is a positive sign for the monarchy, but raises questions about an all-important upcoming event, according to a new episode of Newsweek's The Royal Report podcast.
Charles was cleared to return to public-facing duties by his medical team on April 26. He made his first appearance with Queen Camilla to visit a cancer charity five days later, resuming his usual form of shaking hands with patients and volunteers while sharing his own experiences and speaking about the illness, its diagnosis and treatment.
Though Charles may appear ready to hit the ground running, beginning with one of the monarchy's busiest times of year over the summer, a Buckingham Palace spokesperson said at the time of his health update that his attendance at certain events would only be confirmed closer to the time.
"Planning continues for ways in which their majesties may attend such summer and autumn engagements, though nothing can be confirmed or guaranteed at this stage," they said.
"All future plans remain subject to doctors' advice nearer the time, with appropriate adaptations made where necessary to minimize any risks to his majesty's continued recovery."
One of the most important of these upcoming events is the annual Trooping the Colour celebrations. This is a military parade and Buckingham Palace balcony appearance made each June to mark the monarch's official birthday.
Newsweek's chief royal correspondent, Jack Royston, told Royal Report listeners that with his attendance now likely, the king faces an important decision—to ride on horseback during the parade or not?
"Now that he is actively going back to work, it raises the prospects that if he's really feeling up to it, he could actually ride in the parade," Royston said of the king. "Which he did do last year, but it does involve wearing one of those very tall black bearskin hats of the kind that people may have seen on the guards who patrol Buckingham Palace.
"Depending on how the weather falls in June—and it is always difficult to predict in Britain—but it could be very hot and the soldiers participating in Trooping have been known in the past to actually faint, to pass out from the heat, whereupon everybody keeps going with the parade all the same and somebody comes and helps the soldier away.
"Some might think that at 75 and while receiving treatment for cancer, it's better not to risk that happening to Charles."
Royston noted that it would be "completely bonkers and unprecedented" if Charles were to experience a weather-related medical emergency while on parade, suggesting that there are alternative options to riding horseback.
From the late 1980s, Queen Elizabeth II stopped riding in the parade and instead took part while seated in a carriage. However, this does not eliminate the possibility of extreme heat exhaustion as the king would be expected to dress in full uniform.
"There is another option though," Royston suggested. "Which is to focus on the Buckingham Palace balcony appearance that comes at the end."
"I personally think that he should just do the balcony," he said. "I mean, why risk it? Just imagine if he was overwhelmed in the heat. Imagine if he passed out on his horse. There would be such a reckoning day for whoever let that go ahead, no matter how much he might have been pushing it himself, that he wanted to do it. You know there would be a huge reckoning day for whoever gave them the thumbs up."
Newsweek has approached Buckingham Palace via email for comment.
No further updates on the king's attendance at Trooping the Colour are expected to be given until closer to the date. This year the celebrations are planned to take place on Saturday June 15.
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 Markle 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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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
James Crawford-Smith is a Newsweek Royal Reporter, based in London, U.K. His focus is reporting on the British royal family ... Read more
