King Charles III makes first public appearance after cancer diagnosis

King Charles III on Sunday ventured out for his first public outing since his cancer diagnosis, joining Queen Camilla for a church service in eastern England, CNN reported. Waving to onlookers, the King showed resilience as he walked to the St Mary Magdalene's church on the Sandringham estate on Sunday morning.

Earlier in the week, he was photographed in the back of a car on the Sandringham Estate, marking one of his initial sightings since the diagnosis. On Monday, Buckingham Palace disclosed that Charles, aged 75, was diagnosed of an undisclosed form of cancer and would temporarily step back from public-facing duties while undergoing treatment. The diagnosis was revealed following his admission to a London hospital for a corrective procedure related to an enlarged prostate last month.

Prostate cancer has been ruled out, according to a royal source who did not provide additional details, as reported by CNN. While doctors advised Charles to reduce public-facing duties, the palace clarified that he would continue with state obligations and paperwork. The King is set to receive his daily red boxes containing government papers, enabling him to work on state documents from home. It is anticipated that he will maintain his weekly audience with the prime minister, with adjustments made if his doctors recommend minimizing in-person contact.

Prince William, Charles' son and the heir to the throne, along with Queen Camilla, is expected to take on additional public engagements to cover for Charles' temporary withdrawal. Despite the health setback, Prince Harry briefly visited the UK earlier in the week after Charles' diagnosis. Subsequently, he presented the Man of the Year award at the NFL Honors ceremony in Las Vegas on Thursday.

In his first public comments since the diagnosis, Charles expressed gratitude for the public's support, stating that it brought him "the greatest comfort and encouragement," according to a statement released on Saturday, CNN reported.