King Charles to return to public duties following 'positive' cancer treatment

Monarch will visit a cancer treatment centre with Queen Camilla on Tuesday

King Charles III and Queen Camilla, taken by portrait photographer Millie Pilkington, in Buckingham Palace Gardens on April 10, the day after their 19th wedding anniversary. PA

King Charles is set to return to public royal duties next week after undergoing “positive” cancer treatment.

The king, who has been receiving care as an outpatient since early February, will visit a cancer treatment centre with Queen Camilla on Tuesday to meet medical specialists and patients.

The announcement came as a picture marking the first anniversary of the crowning of the king and queen on May 6 has been released, taken the day after their 19th wedding anniversary on April 10.

Charles and Camilla are shown smiling broadly and walking arm in arm along a path with shrubs and colourful flowers in the background.

Despite the upbeat news, the king still has cancer and will continue to be treated for the undisclosed form of the disease.

However, the announcement will be a boost for the monarchy as it comes to terms with dual health crises affecting the king and Princess of Wales.

They began in January after it was announced the Princess of Wales had undergone planned abdominal surgery and would remain in hospital for 10 to 14 days.

On the same day, it was announced that the king would be admitted to the same hospital for treatment for an enlarged prostate the following week.

The Palace did not confirm what Kate was being treated for, but said her condition was non-cancerous.

The king’s condition was also said to be benign.

However, tests conducted in hospital found that the king was suffering from an unspecified form of cancer, not related to his prostate.

In March, the Princess of Wales, 42, also revealed she had cancer and was undergoing chemotherapy treatment. She has not revealed the type.

In a video message to announce the news, Kate spoke directly to others dealing with the disease, telling them: “You are not alone.”

“This of course came as a huge shock, and William and I have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family,” she said in the video statement.

Their illnesses have seen the king and princess step back from royal duties in recent months as they undergo treatment.

The princess had not been seen publicly since Christmas until a video recently surfaced of her with her husband near a farm shop close to their Windsor home.

The king temporarily postponed public duties but continued work behind the scenes on his red boxes – his state business and official papers.

Their absence saw other family members step up, with Queen Camilla and Prince William both taking on additional engagements.

The Princess Royal also carried out appearances alongside the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh.

In the video revealing her diagnosis, the princess, who is one of the most popular members of the royal family, said she was looking forward to returning to her work supporting children in their early years.

It is not yet known when she will return to public duties.

King Charles III through the years – in pictures