COMMENT: King Charles is going to great lengths to reassure the public that all is well following his shock cancer diagnosis at the start of the month. Since the Palace made the announcement on Monday February 5, King Charles has made a point of being seen. The day after the news broke, he gave a reassuring smile as he was pictured ahead of his helicopter journey to Norfolk and for the past two Sundays he’s waved to crowds on his walk to church in Sandringham.
Yesterday, he went one step further by allowing snappers to capture his first face-to-face audience with the Prime Minister since he took a step back from public facing duties. Charles’s appearance with Rishi Sunak shows just how important it is for him to be seen by the public and the depth of his belief in duty whatever the circumstance. He also reminded people that he’s only human, as he revealed he has been reduced to tears by the messages and cards of support he has received since his cancer diagnosis.
His moving comment shows how his illness is bringing him closer to his people than ever before. The outpouring of love he has received over the past few weeks, has highlighted to the monarch the deep affection the nation has for him – and that will undoubtedly fuel him over the coming months. The King may have spent less than 18 months on the throne, but he’s spent decades working tirelessly for the public and the institution itself and has earned a special place in the hearts of the nation. Charles will be remembered for his fierce campaigning on environmental and sustainability issues that he championed long before the topic of climate change entered the mainstream.
And from what we’ve seen so far, it seems inevitable that instead of winding down his workload, he’ll want to press on with his passions with even more vigour. Last year he turned his efforts to campaigning on food poverty by launching an ambitious Coronation Food Project that aimed to reduce food waste. King Charles was keen to make tackling food insecurity the first major project of his reign so we may well see him doubling down on his efforts later this year. Let’s not forget he also urged Britons to volunteer and build “kinder, closer communities” in a second Big Help Out last month – just days after returning home following his prostate surgery.
This announcement was a sure hint of both his hardworking nature and commitment to carry on no matter his own personal circumstances. And the public can expect more of this as he looks to focus on the good of the country and the Commonwealth rather than his own health concerns. The King’s determination to appear in public and carry on with official duties reveals Charles’s incredible strength of character. It also highlights the depth of his emotional connection with his people, which he is displaying to the nation in the way the late Queen would never contemplate.
