King Charles Holds Audiences at Buckingham Palace as He Misses Royal Easter Tradition amid Cancer Treatment
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Queen Camilla attended Thursday's Royal Maundy Service on King Charles' behalf after he stepped back from public-facing duties following his cancer diagnosis
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King Charles greets the Ambassador of Moldova at Buckingham Palace on March 28, 2024King Charles held private audiences at Buckingham Palace after missing the Royal Maundy Service amid his cancer treatment.
The King, 75, was pictured greeting ambassadors Epimeni Bapfinda of Burundi and Ruslan Bolbocean of Moldova separately on Thursday. Both men presented the Letters of Recall of his predecessor and his own Letters of Credence.
The monarch, whose cancer diagnosis was publicly revealed on Feb. 5, has been continuing with state business and official paperwork amid his treatment but has taken a step back from public-facing duties, causing him to miss the Royal Maundy Service, which takes place each year on the Thursday before Easter.
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King Charles greets the Ambassador of Burundi, Epimeni Bapfinda, at Buckingham Palace on March 28, 2024Queen Camilla, 76, stepped in at Worcester Cathedral, distributing gifts of "Maundy Money" on behalf of herself and King Charles, giving 75 men and 75 women coin purses. The number of recipients signified the age of the King, and each person received one white pouch and one red pouch. The white purse featured custom silver Maundy coins while the red purse contained a £5 coin emblazoned with a Tudor Dragon and a 50 pence coin commemorating the Royal National Lifeboat Institution during its 200th anniversary this year.
The Queen made history with the appearance, becoming the first consort to lead the ancient tradition, which the royal family traces back to 600 A.D.
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Queen Camilla hands out Maundy Money at the Royal Maundy Service on March 28, 2024Related: Kate Middleton and King Charles Bond amid Cancer Diagnoses: 'The Daughter He Never Had' (Exclusive)
King Charles may not have attended the service, but he made sure to record an audio message that was played.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, it is, for me, a great sadness that I cannot be with you all today," the monarch said in part. "The Maundy Service has a very special place in my heart. It has its origin in the life of Our Lord who knelt before his disciples and, to their great surprise, washed their travel-weary feet. And, as we have just heard, in doing so he deliberately gave to them and to us all an example of how we should serve and care for each other."
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Queen Camilla before the Royal Maundy Service at Worcester Cathedral on March 28, 2024.Despite the monarch missing Thursday's service in Worcester, the palace confirmed that he is set to attend the traditional Easter Mattins Service at St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle this Sunday. The event is understood to be smaller-scale than usual, following doctors' advice to limit the number of people the King should come in contact with during his cancer treatment.
Both the King and his daughter-in-law, Kate Middleton, are currently undergoing cancer treatment. The Princess of Wales, 42, confirmed her diagnosis in a personal video message released last Friday.
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