King Charles III met Rishi Sunak for the first time since his cancer diagnosis. Photo / Getty Images
King Charles III met Rishi Sunak for the first time since his cancer diagnosis. Photo / Getty Images
King Charles has said the messages and cards he has received since his cancer diagnosis have reduced him to tears, as he returned to his audiences with the Prime Minister for the first time this year.
He told Rishi Sunak: “I’ve had so many messages and cards, you can’t believe it. They’ve reduced me to tears, most of them.”
Told by the Prime Minister that it was “wonderful to see you looking so well”, the King joked it was “all done by mirrors”.
Photographs and filmed footage of the first minute of the Buckingham Palace audience show the King appearing to be in good health, if a little croaky in voice.
Usually, the meeting is held entirely in private, but the King and his aides are mindful of the public’s interest in his health as he undergoes treatment for cancer.
Shaking hands and walking to sit down, Sunak said: “Well, we’re all behind you, the country’s behind you.”
Addressing the King’s illness, the Prime Minister adds: “It’s also nice to see the spotlight that it’s shone on the work that charities do in this area.”
The King replied: “I hear there’s been a lot more potential interest in those main wonderful cancer charities, many of which I’ve been patron of for years.”
Sunak added that “they do incredible work up and down the country”, with the King nodding: “They do.”
King Charles III welcomes Rishi Sunak during an audience at Buckingham Palace. Photo / Getty Images
The Prime Minister was introduced into the Private Audience Room by Lt-Cmdr Will Thornton of the Fleet Air Arm, who is the King’s new equerry. It is his first engagement in the role after replacing Lt Col Johnny Thompson, who became known on social media as the “hot equerry” during his service and has moved to what is described as a more executive and less public-facing role of senior equerry.
The palace does not generally permit photographs of the audience, which is traditionally considered a private meeting in which Prime Ministers can unburden themselves to the monarch and seek advice.
The King will have had much to discuss with the Prime Minister after a long break from official audiences over Christmas and early 2024.
The last in-person audience for the King and Sunak was on December 13, which was listed in the court circular as being held at Buckingham Palace shortly after a meeting of the Privy Council.
King Charles and Rishi Sunak last met in December. Photo / Getty Images
Sunak telephoned the King shortly after his cancer diagnosis was announced to express his personal sympathy and best wishes.
Their official audiences had been due to resume on Wednesday, but the palace had been wary of confirming the King’s schedule too far in advance as he undergoes treatment.
Aides are working on a week-by-week basis as the King, like any other patient, learns how he has responded to cancer treatment.
Downing Street and Buckingham Palace have been keen to emphasise that official duties are continuing.
On February 7, asked if Sunak would travel to Sandringham for his discussion with the King, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “We don’t in general and we are not going to get into the habit of commenting on the PM’s conversations with the King.
”But we have agreed with the Palace in this specific instance to confirm that they will be speaking on the phone later.”
The King has been seen walking to church at Sandringham on Sundays since his illness was revealed. He has also been photographed on several occasions travelling by car between Buckingham Palace and Clarence House while in London for treatment.
The King’s last ordinary public engagement was on December 14, when he attended the Royal Courts of Justice to thank those who work in the judicial system, meet students, view an exhibition on female judges and hear about the work of voluntary magistrates.
Since then, he has appeared in the court circular only a handful of times, including presenting the prize giving for a local school at Sandringham.
Princess Kate, King Charles and Prince William. Photo / Getty Images
King closer to Waleses
The King and Queen have been based at Sandringham since his diagnosis was made public, returning to London briefly.
The King is now at Windsor where he will be close to the Prince and Princess of Wales and their three young children, who are back at Adelaide Cottage, Windsor, for the new school term having spent time together in Norfolk over half term.
It is the first official photograph of the King at work since his diagnosis.
It is also the first since the latest flurry of activity from the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who have launched a new website under her coat of arms to rebrand as the “Office of Prince Harry and Meghan, Duke and Duchess of Sussex”.
On February 5, Buckingham Palace announced the King had been diagnosed with cancer discovered while he was undergoing treatment for an enlarged prostate.
He has postponed all public-facing duties, but is continuing with behind-the-scenes work on his red boxes of state papers.
The Queen has been carrying out her royal diary of engagements, with Prince William also returning to work after his wife was hospitalised for abdominal surgery.
