Return of the King: Charles says public’s support amid cancer battle ‘brings him to tears’

The UK PM told the King yesterday “the country is behind you” as he returned to duty after treatment for cancer.

Their face-to-face took place at Buckingham Palace. Picture: AFP

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak told King Charles yesterday “the country is behind you” as he returned to duty after treatment for cancer.

Charles said he had received “so many wonderful messages and cards” from the public, which “reduced me to tears most of the time” after his shock diagnosis was announced, The Sunreports.

It came as the King had his first engagements in more than two months, after the Christmas break and his prostate surgery in January.

His unrelated cancer was discovered during the operation.

The King was meeting the PM face-to-face for the first time in ten weeks.

He told Mr Sunak it had been a “bit of a gap” between their usual weekly meetings to discuss matters of the state.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak told the King yesterday “the country is behind you” as His Majesty returned to duty after treatment for cancer. Picture: AFP

Rishi replied: “A bit, but wonderful to see you looking so well.”

The King laughed: “Well, it’s all done by mirrors.”

The PM told him: “Everyone’s behind you, and it’s been nice to see the spotlight that it’s shone on the work the charities do in this area.”

Their face-to-face took place at Buckingham Palace. Picture: AFP

Charles commented: “I hear there has been a lot more interest on those main wonderful cancer charities, many of which I’ve been patron for for years.”

Mr Sunak told him they have done “incredible work up and down the country”.

The King had been keen to reveal his health problems to encourage others to seek medical help.

The pair chatted for 45 minutes yesterday. Their first weekly audience was in 2022 and they last spoke by phone two weeks ago.

Brave King Charles waves as he’s seen for the first time since Harry’s bombshell TV interview. Picture: Getty Images

Earlier yesterday, stoic Charles, 75, joined a meeting of the Privy Council at Buckingham Palace.

Sources said the double-header was a sign of “State business as usual”.

The King’s last in-person outing was an investiture at Windsor Castle on December 19, with his last PM audience six days prior.

More recently, His Majesty was last seen on Sunday walking to church in Sandringham, Norfolk, where he had been resting following treatment.

He is expected to stay at Windsor Castle while he has out-patient treatment.

This story was published in The Sun and has been republished with permission