King Charles has made the 150-mile trip back to the royal estate of Sandringham after returning to London yesterday to continue his cancer treatment.
According to reports, the monarch was without doting wife Queen Camilla, who had public duties to attend to today.
Charles has done his utmost to remain stoic and brave in the face of his diagnosis, which by all accounts came as a shock after the 75-year-old had undergone treatment for an enlarged prostate.
Dressed in a smart suit and tie, Charles waved to well-wishers who had fathered outside Buckingham Palace and along the Mall today as he began his journey back to Sandringham.
Yesterday we reported how the King had returned to Buckingham Palace via helicopter alongside Queen Camilla to continue his treatment, though it has been speculated that Charles prefers Sandringham as it allows him for privacy.
A source told Hello Magazine!: “When the King visits Sandringham, it’s a place where he can get some solace. One of the tour guides mentioned how he enjoys having his breakfast tea and afternoon tea in front of the backdrop of his beautiful gardens. Even when the house is open and he is staying there, the King tends to reside upstairs.”
According to the Daily Express, King Charles’ return to London yesterday marked his second course of treatment (his treatment plan, as with the type of cancer he is suffering from, remains unknown), and the monarch is expected to undergo further treatment later this month.
What’s more, Charles has postponed all public duties moving forward, though he is continuing with his stately responsibilities, including a weekly meeting with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
For the most part, the general feeling conveyed by the Royal Family in the wake of the cancer announcement is that things will continue as normal. Positivity seems to be the order of the day, though anyone who’s ever watched a loved one face cancer will sympathize with the King having to make the long journey back to Sandringham today without the support of his wife.
Charles’s diagnosis has come at a bad time for the royals – though we’re well aware there’s no ‘good’ time to receive such news – what with Kate Middleton’s recent health issues and the continued frostiness between Prince Harry and the rest of his family.
Kate’s mysterious abdominal procedure, set to keep her out of action until after Easter, means that Prince William already has a lot on his mind, even before any potential support he might lend his father is factored in.
Queen Camilla, as stated, can be relied upon to be there for her husband through thick and thin, though her own royal engagements mean there will be times when she has to be apart from Charles. As per reports, the Queen last week said her husband was doing “extremely well under the circumstances”. She added that the King had been “very touched” by all the messages of support he has received from the public.
Here’s to wishing King Charles a swift recovery.