Queen Camilla Says King Charles Was ‘Thrilled’ to Return to Royal Work: ‘I’ve Been Trying to Hold Him Back’ This week, King Charles made his first public outing since starting cancer treatment

The Queen, 76, made the revelation at a Buckingham Palace reception she hosted to recognize supporters of survivors of sexual assault and mark the relaunch of the Wash Bags project on May 1.

The event fell the day after the King, 75, stepped out for his first public engagement after the palace announced the news about his health in February, and Queen Camilla joined him for the visit to the Macmillan Cancer Centre at the University College Hospital London. “I think he was really thrilled to be out,” the Queen told Teresa Tideman, chairman of the charity In Kind Direct, a partner of the relaunch, according to the Daily Mail.

“I’ve been trying to hold him back,” she added about how her husband has been feeling in recent months. On April 30, the royal couple visited the cancer treatment center to meet patients and staff, emphasize the importance of early detection and learn more about the research happening at the hospital supported by Cancer Research U.K. The stop coincided with the announcement that King Charles is the new patron of Cancer Research U.K., taking over a role previously held by his mother, Queen Elizabeth.

The monarch spoke with several patients during the visit and mentioned that he was going for his own treatment later that day, Chris Ship of ITV wrote on X. He made another personal comment in conversation with patient Lesley Woodbridge when he said, “It’s always a bit of shock when they tell you,” according to Rebecca English of the Daily Mail.

On Feb. 5, Buckingham Palace announced that a “separate issue of concern was noted” during the King’s hospital procedure for benign enlarged prostate in January and subsequent diagnostic tests identified “a form of cancer.” A spokesman clarified that he does not have prostate cancer. The palace explained that the King was starting a schedule of routine treatments, “during which time he has been advised by doctors to postpone public-facing duties. Throughout this period, His Majesty will continue to undertake State business and official paperwork as usual.”

While King continued to attend church on Sundays and host audiences in the weeks that followed, his nephew Peter Phillips said he felt “frustrated” about the amount he was able to do. “I think, ultimately, he’s hugely frustrated. He’s frustrated that he can’t get on and do everything that he wants to be able to do, Princess Anne’s son said about his uncle on The Royal Report with Sky News Australia on March 25.

“But he is very pragmatic [and] he understands that there’s a period of time that he really needs to focus on himself,” Peter added. The King’s visit to Macmillan Cancer Centre came after Buckingham Palace shared the significant news on April 26 that he would resume public-facing royal engagements amid his cancer treatment. It’s understood that the center has not been directly involved with the King’s medical care.