King Charles makes his first public appearance since cancer was announced

King Charles III was seen in public for the first time on Sunday since Buckingham Palace announced last week that he was being treated for cancer, walking into a church on the royal estate of Sandringham where he resides.

Charles, 74, waved and smiled at well-wishers who gathered nearby to catch a glimpse of the monarch as news cameras flashed. He walked with his wife, Queen Camilla, before heading to the 11 a.m. service at St. Mary Magdalene Church.

Later, both the King and Queen smiled and waved at the cameras as they returned to their home at Sandringham House.

In a message released by Buckingham Palace on Saturday, King Charles thanked the public for their support since news of his cancer diagnosis was announced.

“As anyone affected by cancer will know, such kind thoughts are the greatest comfort and encouragement,” he said.

The King added that it was “equally heartening to hear how sharing my own diagnosis has helped promote public understanding and shined a light on the work of all those organizations supporting cancer patients and their families in supporting the UK and the rest of the world.”

Last month, Charles was admitted to a hospital for routine surgery to treat an enlarged prostate. But on Monday the palace announced that an unspecified form of cancer had been discovered during that treatment. He has begun treatment for cancer and has paused his public appearances during that time.

The king currently resides in Sandringham, about 100 miles northeast of London.

The palace's decision to reveal to the public that the King, Britain's head of state, was being treated for cancer provided a rare candid insight into a monarch's health.

But it has also left many questions, with little clarity about the severity of his illness or how long he will receive treatment.