King Charles, who hit the breaks on royal duties to focus on his health, has returned to official public duties for the first time since being diagnosed with cancer.
The monarch, 75, visited a cancer treatment center in London today, April 30, where he met with medical specialists and other patients.
Charles, who is the patron of cancer charity Macmillan Cancer Support, arrived at University College Hospital Macmillan Cancer Center in central London Tuesday morning with his wife, Queen Camilla.
The pair’s visit aims to draw the importance of early diagnosis and highlight innovative research taking place at the treatment facility.
Buckingham Palace also announced Tuesday that the King is the new royal patron of Cancer Research UK.
Charles was seen waving to large crowds gathered outside the medical facility, and was heard making a joke upon arrival.
It’s the first time since his diagnosis where he’s met with large numbers of people.
The King announced his defiant return to the royal fold on Friday, April 26, in an official announcement from Buckingham Palace.
News of Charles’s cancer diagnosis came to light in February after he underwent a procedure for an enlarged prostate. There, doctors discovered “a separate issue of concern” that requires treatment.
Buckingham Palace later clarified that the cancer was not prostate cancer.
