King Charles has made his first public appearance since being hospitalized following temporary side effects from his cancer treatment.
He had to cancel a planned trip to Birmingham on Friday on medical advice after spending a brief period in the hospital the previous day, according to Buckingham Palace.
The 76-year-old monarch left Clarence House in London on Friday morning and is now spending the weekend privately at his Highgrove estate in Gloucestershire.
The King’s cancer diagnosis was revealed in February of last year, though the type of cancer has not been disclosed. The Palace has not provided further details about the recent side effects he experienced.
A Palace statement on Thursday confirmed that King Charles was scheduled to carry out four public engagements in Birmingham, which he was "greatly disappointed" to miss.
He expressed hopes that these events could be rescheduled in the future and apologized to those who had worked hard to organize the visit. Additionally, several meetings with ambassadors were affected by the change in plans.
A Palace source described the latest health setback as a "minor bump in the road" on a recovery that is "very much heading in the right direction."
The King was taken to the London Clinic hospital by car and was not accompanied by Queen Camilla during his short stay. On Thursday evening, he was reported to be "feeling good," having completed some work and shared dinner with the Queen at Clarence House.
On Friday morning, the King left his London residence and waved at the gathered crowd as he drove away in a black car.
The Palace confirmed that his public duties, which resumed last April after a period of treatment and recovery, are expected to continue next week.
Despite ongoing cancer treatment, King Charles has remained active in public life, including international engagements. He invited US President Donald Trump for a second state visit and met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at his Norfolk residence, Sandringham. He also welcomed Canada’s new prime minister, Mark Carney, to Buckingham Palace.
In recent weeks, the King visited Northern Ireland and attended the Commonwealth Day service, which he had missed last year due to his diagnosis. Earlier this month, he also launched a playlist of his favorite music.
The King is scheduled for a state visit to Italy in April, although a planned meeting with Pope Francis has been canceled due to the pontiff's ill-health.
The details of the King's cancer diagnosis and treatment remain private. His diagnosis was initially discovered during treatment for benign prostate enlargement, as disclosed by the Palace when the illness was made public last year.
The King chose to share the news to prevent speculation and to help the public better understand the impact of cancer on those around the world.
