King ‘reduced to tears’ by cancer support messages sent to him

King Charles said the messages of support “brought me to tears” as he was seen back at official functions for the first time since revealing his cancer diagnosis.

He met Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who said: “It’s wonderful to see you looking so well.”

“Everything is done through mirrors,” the King joked, lightening the mood.

The King told Mr Sunak he had been very touched by all the cards and well wishes he had been sent.

The monarch shook hands with Mr Sunak as he arrived for the audience at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday afternoon, and both were no doubt aware of the public scrutiny over the king’s health.

Looking relaxed and dressed in a blue pinstriped suit, the King sat with the Prime Minister in the ornately decorated Audience Room, surrounded by photographs of his royal relationships and a Canaletto painting of the Thames.

While receiving treatment the King has stopped making public visits, but continues with his duties as head of state, such as this regular meeting with the prime minister.

Mr Sunak was filmed arriving and the king told him how much he had appreciated all the messages he had received and his admiration for cancer charities.

“I have received so many wonderful messages and cards that most of the time they make me cry,” the King said.

But the rest of the meeting with the prime minister, which lasted about 45 minutes, took place privately as usual.

The King had previously been seen addressing church in Sandringham and being driven to and from Clarence House in London, but this was the first time he had been seen in such a formal setting since his cancer diagnosis was announced more than two years ago. weeks.

This afternoon, the King attended the monthly meeting of the Privy Council, a body of advisors to the monarch, made up mostly of senior politicians from the House of Commons and the House of Lords.

Since being diagnosed with an unspecified type of cancer, the King has been receiving outpatient treatment.

He has continued with the administrative part of his role, such as dealing with government documents in his red boxes and signing documents.

But he has stepped back from the round of royal visits where he would normally meet the public or attend events.

Wednesday’s meeting with Sunak was the confidential hearing between the King and the Prime Minister, which normally takes place every week.

The meeting is a traditional opportunity for the politically neutral monarch to discuss current affairs of state with the incumbent prime minister.

Previous prime ministers have spoken of these meetings as an opportunity to talk about ideas outside the usual political pressures of parties.

Edward Heath, Conservative Prime Minister in the 1970s, said of his meetings with Queen Elizabeth II: “It was always a relief to be able to discuss everything with someone, knowing full well that there was not the slightest danger of information leaking.”

Labour’s Harold Wilson, who was said to have got on well with the late Queen, held meetings that grew longer, sometimes lasting up to two hours.