High hopes for King Charles
King Charles made his first appearance in public since his cancer diagnosis in January over Easter, much to the delight of the nation. And it seems like there’s good news ahead as plans for his future engagements continue. “The King is raring to go after a significant amount of time off,” said an insider.
The monarch greeted well-wishers at an Easter church service in Windsor, shaking their hands and stopping to chat as they told him to “keep going strong”.
And following a successful start to his cancer treatment, it was reported last week that Buckingham Palace is pressing on with plans for Charles’ state visit to Australia in October. The trip would also feature visits to New Zealand and Samoa, which is hosting the annual Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting (CHOGM).
A source said that it is “no great mystery” that the King is hopeful to attend CHOGM if he is able. They added, “Treatment continues and things are moving in the right direction. If he is able to go, of course he will go. Plans continue but there are no guarantees, we are still a long way off.”
While palace aides are said to be looking over the proposed schedule to start making tentative plans, it has been reported that upcoming trips will be reliant on how the monarch responds to his cancer treatment over the next few months. If the Australia visit was to go ahead, it would mark the first trip to the country since King Charles took to the throne, and the first by a ruling monarch since Elizabeth II in October 2011.
It has not been publicly disclosed what form of cancer King Charles has, but it was discovered following treatment for an enlarged prostrate at the beginning of this year. He immediately began weekly treatment, which is understood to be going successfully. Sources did add, though, that “caution remains the watchword”.