With his blue pinstriped fabric jacket, one of his favorites, often worn on official occasions, King Charles returned to public life this morning. “I’m fine, thank you,” reassured the king when questioned by a patient. As announced days ago when she had the green light from the doctors to resume some official activities while continuing treatment for the tumor.
And with the sovereign at University College Hospital Macmillan Cancer Centre (it’s also the King’s debut as the new patron of Cancer Research UK) here today Queen Camilla, in an animal print dress, smiling, more confident than ever. Indeed on the face the satisfaction of those who can rightly take part of the thanks to the king’s quick return to the scene.
On May 6, 2023 Camilla also solemnly received a crowna, because this is what happens in the coronations of a king: a coronation multiplied by two. “Why a king creates a queenwhile a queen does not create a king, according to the Windsor rule”, cas he explained to us, interviewed for the Courier, the historian Hugo Vickersthe closest to the Windsors, trusted person of Philip Duke of Edinburgh as well as Queen Elizabeth II.
«A King creates a Queen, no role of simple “consort” for Camilla, as it had been for Philip. In fact, Prince Philip did not receive any sovereign title that day in June 1953 when Elizabeth II was crowned, and simply paid homage to her. Because in the British tradition, the title is also passed on to the woman, but not vice versa.” continues Vickers.
Camilla, a Queen who succeeded the sovereign, was in fact consecrated with blessed oil a year ago by the Archbishop of York, and had received the crown. Exactly like King Charles III.
But it’s 2024, indeed at the beginning horribilis of a sniff very difficult for the House of Windsor, that Camilla proved that she had well and truly earned that crown. In the Royal void of exponents ready to spend themselves on Royal engagements – with Charles and Kate in the operating room and then undergoing treatment, and with Prince William also out of the picture to follow his wife – it was the Queen who managed the burden of the representation of the institution. Taking on not one but dozens of official commitments. With the ease that perhaps not even she knew she had.
«Camilla was tense at the 2023 coronation, he knew he had to play a role like in the theater from now on. A role where you can’t repeat the scene, like on a film set, and you can’t make mistakes – director Michael Waldman told us who signed «Our Queen» (about Elizabeth II), and then filmed the queen in «Camilla’s Country Life», the first time the new queen’s life was filmed between Clarence House and Highgrove -. But Camilla’s smile at the end of the ceremony in Westminster already said that she had passed the test, as if she had breathed a sigh of relief.”
With Camilla next to him, like today at the visit to the cancer treatment center, the king will therefore continue his treatment in the coming weeks. «Doctors are sufficiently pleased with the progress made so far that the King is now able to resume a number of public-facing duties”, the doctors are satisfied with the progress made by the sovereign who can thus face some official commitments in person, says the king’s spokesman. “Forthcoming engagements will be adapted where necessary to minimize any risks to His Majesty’s continued recovery”, he added however: we will try to minimize any type of risk.
In short, a recovery path that proceeds with satisfaction and which will allow the king to return progressively to business as usual. With Camilla always by her side.
