King Charles III has booked his first overseas engagement since undergoing cancer treatment.
Buckingham Palace revealed in a Friday, May 17, statement that Charles, 75, and wife Queen Camilla will travel to France in June with other members of the royal family to mark the 80th anniversary of the D-Day Landings.
After visiting monuments in Portsmouth, England, the couple will journey to Ver-sur-Mer in Normandy, France. On Thursday, June 6, Charles and Camilla will attend The Ministry of Defense and the Royal British Legion’s commemorative event at the British Normandy Memorial. (His Majesty is the patron of the Royal British Legion.)
Charles’ eldest son, Prince William, and the king’s sister, Princess Anne, will join them in Normandy for additional engagements.
Charles recently resumed his public-facing duties in April after a brief hiatus to undergo cancer treatment. The palace confirmed in February that Charles had been diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer.
“I would like to express my most heartfelt thanks for the many messages of support and good wishes I have received in recent days,” he said in a statement later that month. “As all those who have been affected by cancer will know, such kind thoughts are the greatest comfort and encouragement.”
Charles continued, “It is equally heartening to hear how sharing my own diagnosis has helped promote public understanding and shine a light on the work of all those organizations [that] support cancer patients and their families across the U.K. and wider world. My lifelong admiration for their tireless care and dedication is all the greater as a result of my own personal experience.”
As Charles took a break from his public-facing duties, William, 41, Camilla and brother Prince Edward carried on in his place.
By April, Charles received an encouraging prognosis from his doctors.
“His Majesty’s medical team are very encouraged by the progress made so far and remain positive about the King’s continued recovery,” Buckingham Palace said in a statement last month. “Forthcoming engagements will be adapted where necessary to minimize any risks to His Majesty’s continued recovery. The pacing of the King’s program will be carefully calibrated as his recovery continues, in close consultation with his medical team.”
Charles is not the only member of the royal family battling cancer. William’s wife, Princess Kate Middleton, confirmed in March that she had been diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer two months prior. The Princess of Wales, 42, has also taken a reprieve from her public duties as she undergoes a preventative course of chemotherapy.
