King Charles to Return to Public Duties, Reassuring Anxious Royal Watchers

King Charles III will return to public duties next week, Buckingham Palace announced on Friday, an encouraging sign of his recovery, nearly three months after he disclosed that he had cancer, and a palpable relief to a country anxious about another wrenching change in the British monarchy.

Charles and his wife, Queen Camilla, will mark his return with a visit to a cancer center on Tuesday, where they will meet with patients and staff, the palace said. He will appear at other engagements later, not least welcoming Emperor Naruhito of Japan, and his wife, Empress Masako, for a state visit in June.

The palace did not offer specific updates on Charles’ medical treatment, condition, or prognosis, in keeping with its policy of sharing some — but not all — details about his illness. Yet in the opaque world of the royal family, the busyness of a monarch’s calendar is often the best clue to his well-being.

The news offers a ray of hope for a royal family that has been shadowed by health concerns since the beginning of the year. Catherine, the Princess of Wales, confirmed last month that she, too, has cancer. She has been out of the public eye since she was hospitalized in January, igniting a storm of often spurious rumors about her condition.

The simultaneous illnesses of two of the royal family’s most senior and stalwart members plunged the House of Windsor into uncertainty at a time of generational transition. Queen Elizabeth II died in September 2022, and Charles, her son, had scarcely gotten his feet under the throne.

Charles, 75, has continued to hold meetings during his treatment, including weekly sessions with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and a video call with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada. But his absence has put a strain on other members of the family, particularly Camilla, who has stood in for him on several occasions, including a trip to Northern Ireland. Catherine’s husband, Prince William, has only recently returned to work, after taking time off to care for his wife.