King Charles cancer diagnosis: Monarch appears in public for the first time since shock health announcement

The King has been pictured smiling and waving from the back of his car - his first public appearance following his cancer diagnosis. With the Queen by his side, traffic was stopped on The Mall outside Clarence House by police on motorbikes just after 3.30pm today (February 6) and two black SUV vehicles were driven out.

Heading in the direction of Buckingham Palace, a helicopter flew out from behind the couple’s official residence 10 minutes later. Around half-an-hour later, the aircraft was seen landing at Sandringham in Norfolk.

Charles and Camilla made the trip shortly after meeting his younger son, the Duke of Sussex, who flew in from the US following his father’s shock announcement. Two black SUVs, which were seen leaving Heathrow Airport’s VIP Windsor Suite earlier this afternoon, were pictured arriving at the royal residence at around 2.42pm.

Prince Harry’s wife, the Duchess of Sussex, has remained at home with their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. Harry last appeared alongside the Windsors at the King’s coronation in May, but hurried home immediately afterward to mark his son’s fourth birthday.

At 6pm yesterday (February 5), Buckingham Palace confirmed the King, who only acceded to the throne 17 months ago, does not have prostate cancer, saying only that it was a “form of cancer”. He was diagnosed after a “separate issue of concern was noted” and investigated while he was being treated for his benign enlarged prostate.

On the short journey, the King acknowledged the tourists and locals who had gathered outside Buckingham Palace. The well-wishers earlier spoke of their sadness after hearing the shock health news.

Lisa Nash, 61, said she wished Charles well and added that the royal family does “a lot for this country”. She said: “My thoughts are with him and to go through something like cancer but in the public eye is pretty something, so I’m pleased that he’s given people snippets of information but I’m quite glad that he’s going to keep the rest of it private.”

Martin Harris, 43, from Northampton, said: “Obviously it’s a shame for the family more than anything. You think of the family like you would do your own family, yes it’s a shame for us but it is for them more than us really.”

Justin Haden, 52, from Canada, said the news was “sad” and he hoped the King would “make a recovery”.