21 February 2024 , 18:16
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The King confessed to the outpouring of well-wishes from the public as he battles cancer “brings me to tears”.
During his first face-to-face audience with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak this evening since his diagnosis earlier this month, Charles said: “I’ve had so many wonderful messages and cards which brings me to tears most of the time.”
The King met Prime Minister Rishi Sunak face to face at Buckingham Palace late on Wednesday afternoon, marking the restart of their weekly encounters to discuss matters of Government.
Beforehand, Charles held an in-person Privy Council at the royal residence, where attendees would have included Lord President of the Council Penny Mordaunt.
The King, who has been dealing with his red boxes of State papers behind the scenes, started outpatient treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer just over two weeks ago.
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The pair met in Buckingham Palace's private audience room (PA)In the private audience room at Buckingham Palace, Mr Sunak told the King “the country is all behind you”.
After being introduced to the King for the meetings, Mr Sunak commented how pleased he was to see the King, leading the sovereign to joke: “there’s been a gap, I’m afraid”.
The Prime Minister said: “Well, a bit, but it’s wonderful to see you looking so well.”
Charles, 75, who this week was scheduled to undergo his third weekly treatment for a form of cancer, lightened the mood as he said: “Well, it’s all done by mirrors”, to which the PM replied: “We’ll we’re all behind you, the country is behind you.”
He added: “It’s nice to see the spotlight that it has shone on the work the charities do in this area, which I’m sure you’re familiar with as well.”
The King replied: “I hear there’s been a lot more attention and interest on those main wonderful cancer charities, many of which I’ve been patron of for years.”
Charles and the PM usually meet once a week (PA)Mr Sunak replied: “They do incredible work up and down the country”, to which the King agreed saying: “They do”.
At the time of the announcement on February 5 of the King’s cancer diagnosis, Buckingham Palace insisted that while Charles had been “advised by doctors to postpone public-facing duties”, he would “continue to undertake State business and official paperwork as usual.”
The Prime Minister was one of the first people to publicly send his best wishes, writing in a post on X (formerly Twitter): "Wishing His Majesty a full and speedy recovery.
"I have no doubt he'll be back to full strength in no time and I know the whole country will be wishing him well."
A senior palace source said today: “It’s very much a case of business as usual for the King. His Majesty is continuing with private business in parallel with his regular treatment in as normal a way as possible.
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“He is certainly keen to be seen and reassure people that he is doing well and the mood music is very much a case of ‘Keep King and Carry On’.”
Charles has been recovering at his Sandrigham estate in Norfolk in between returning to London for weekly cancer treatments. On Tuesday, the King and Queen flew from Sandringham to Buckingham Palace before Charles was driven to Windsor Castle.Palace sources said he undertook two days of meetings before returning by car to the capital for treatment.
The sovereign, who has been staying with the Queen at his Clarence House home when in London, is expected to return to Sandringham again tomorrow.
Charles was admitted to hospital for three nights in January after being diagnosed with an enlarged prostate.
It was at the London Clinic in Marylebone, where he was treated at the same time the Princess of Wales stayed for two weeks following abdominal surgery, that doctors made a “secondary diagnosis” of cancer.
The sovereign will undergo several weeks of targeted and less invasive treatment than traditional cancer treatments, it is understood.
Royal aides said he is “very much looking forward to returning to full time public duties as soon as possible”.
The King’s meeting with the Prime Minister was his second in person engagement of the day, coming just over an hour after the monarch held his first Privy Council meeting since December.
Palace sources said the King was in good spirits and enjoyed reconvening the Council in person for the first time since December.
Charles was joined by Penny Mordaunt MP in her role as Lord President of the Council, Home Secretary James Cleverly, Scottish Secretary Alister Jack, Education Secretary Gillian Keegan and for the first time Michael Tomlinson, the Minister of State for Illegal Migration, as he was inducted to the council.
The Privy Council is a formal body of advisers to the sovereign, composed of politicians, civil servants, judges, members of the clergy as well as the Prince of Wales. There are currently more than 700 members of the council, with membership lasting for life.