Queen Camilla: King Charles 'doing very well' as he continues cancer treatment

The King is "doing very well", said Camilla, as she was handed a get well card for her husband during a visit in Belfast. Charles has currently paused all public-facing duties as he receives cancer treatment, but he continues to perform duties behind the scenes, including reading his daily red box of official papers.

With his absence, the Queen has been at the forefront on her husband's behalf, including public engagements in Northern Ireland on Thursday (March 21), after arriving at the region's royal residence Hillsborough Castle on Wednesday night, where she met First Minister Michelle O’Neill and deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly.

During the event at the castle, Camilla marked World Poetry Day by watching spoken-word performances and met authors, actors and performers. Hosted by poet Paul Muldoon, the Queen watched performances by Derry Girls actor Ian McElhinney, actress Frances Tomelty, and contemporary poet Michael Longley celebrating the poetry and literature of Northern Ireland.

Earlier, the Queen arrived to crowds of well-wishers on the bustling Lisburn Road in south Belfast. She met owners and staff at Coffey’s Butchers, The Arcadia deli and Knotts Bakery before doing an impromptu meet and greet with well-wishers.

Camilla was presented with a gift of some local favourites at Coffey’s, including vegetable rolls and beer sausages, and responded saying: “I shall take these back for my husband, he will make the most of them”.

During her visit to The Arcadia, shop assistant Brenda Robb asked after Charles, and handed her a get well card for him, extending her best wishes. Camilla accepted the card and thanked her, adding: “He’s doing very well …. he was very disappointed he couldn’t come”. Responding to quips about men “not being the best patients,” Camilla said: “I try to keep him in order.”

Meanwhile, at Knotts, Camilla met owner William Corrie, as well as his wife, former Miss Northern Ireland and Blue Peter presenter Zoe Salmon, and their one-year-old son Fitz. Camilla also visited Ballykinler army base in Co Down on Thursday in her role as Colonel-in-Chief of The Rifles, and took the salute at a pass-off parade for junior non-commissioned officers.

The Queen arrived in Northern Ireland on Wednesday evening, with a bugler from the Hillsborough Ford Guard playing to mark her arrival at Hillsborough Castle in Co Down.

She was last in Northern Ireland in May 2023 when she and the King undertook engagements on their first visit to the region following the coronation. She is travelling alone this week after Charles stepped back from his public duties while receiving treatment for cancer.