King Charles emerges for Easter service after cancer diagnosis

King Charles has attended his first royal event in months, leading his family into their annual Easter church service at Windsor Castle.

King Charles has attended his first royal event in months, joining his family for their annual Easter church service at Windsor Castle.

The monarch, 75, appeared to be in good health as he smiled and waved at the small crowd permitted within the royal grounds, after skipping the traditional 10-minute walk to St George’s Chapel in favour of travelling by car.

At one point, a fan called out: “Happy Easter to Your Majesty!” prompting a beaming Charles to call back: “And to you!”

Henry Woods, 20, who attended the service alongside the royals, opened up to news.com.au afterwards about the King’s appearance, describing him as being in his “usual good spirits”.

“He’s always been of the British ‘stiff upper lip’,” he said, adding the rest of the family also appeared to be holding up well.

“They were all in good form.”

Meanwhile, Charles’ transport decision – made on doctors’ orders amid his ongoing treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer – was just one of the significant breaks from tradition for this year’s event, with the absence of the Prince and Princess of Wales and their children also keenly felt.

King Charles and Queen Camilla arriving for the Easter service at Windsor Castle. Picture: Hollie Adams/Getty Images

The pair waved to onlookers. Picture: Hollie Adams/Getty Images

Charles has been keeping a low profile since his cancer diagnosis was revealed. Picture: Chris Jackson/Getty Images

Kate revealed in an emotional video last week that she had also been diagnosed with cancer and has been undergoing preventive chemotherapy. It was then confirmed that neither she, William, nor their three children – Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 8, and Prince Louis, 5 – would be attending this year’s Easter service.

King Charles. Picture: Chris Jackson/Getty Images

The royal couple attended the Easter Mattins Service at Windsor Castle. Picture: Chris Jackson/Getty Images

The family is instead spending the school holidays at Amner Hall, their country home.

Despite the heavily reduced public interaction and the absence of the Wales’, a crowd of around five hundred people still weathered the chilly conditions to line the street outside one of the castle entrances in the hope of glimpsing the King.

However, they were left disappointed, with no royals entering or exiting through the usual public gateway.

Prince Andrew and his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, led the rest of the family into church, including Princess Anne and her husband Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence and the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh.