King Charles's Cancer Overshadows First Anniversary of His Accession to the British Throne

 

On Monday, the United Kingdom will mark the first anniversary of King Charles III's accession to the throne, but without lavish celebrations in an atmosphere clouded by the announcement earlier this year that he had been diagnosed with cancer.

Charles, 75, succeeded his mother Elizabeth II to the British throne after a long wait when he and his wife Camilla were crowned queen on May 6.

At 12:00 local time (11:00 GMT), a Royal Cavalry artillery unit fired 41 shots near Buckingham Palace in a symbolic celebration of the one-year anniversary of his coronation, before an honorary artillery unit fired 62 shots from the Tower of London.

While Buckingham Palace did not announce where the king will celebrate this anniversary.

He is currently undergoing treatment for a person's cancer after a prostate operation in January, but the type has not been revealed.

Last week, the British monarch resumed his official activities after three months of absence from public events. Last Tuesday, in a symbolic move, he visited a specialized cancer treatment center, accompanied by Queen Camilla. He appeared relaxed and smiling as he shook hands with several participants and spoke with doctors and patients.

He is expected to attend a ceremony in the gardens of Buckingham Palace on Wednesday.

He is also expected to meet his son, Prince Harry, according to British media reports. The latter lives in California, United States, but will be in London to attend a sports forum for disabled veterans.

For his part, Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby on Monday praised the King's "continuing sense of duty" despite the "personal challenges" he faces.

Buckingham Palace announced on April 26 that King Charles "will soon return to his public activities following a period of treatment and recovery," saying that his participation in public events "will be adjusted according to the need to mitigate the risks to his recovery."

A palace spokesman added that doctors were "very encouraged by the progress so far" and "remain optimistic" about his recovery.

Against this difficult backdrop, the royal family's popularity in the country has risen, with a poll published by the Daily Mail on Sunday showing that 54 percent of respondents have a favorable opinion of King Charles, up 4 points from a year ago. While 56 percent of them believe he is performing his duties as he should.

Charles sits on the throne of Britain and 14 other countries, but he does not exercise the rule carried out by elected prime ministers.