Royal Cancer Treatment Sidelines King Charles III from Maundy Service

King Charles III missed the Royal Maundy Service due to his ongoing cancer treatment, delegating Queen Camilla to attend in his stead and distribute Maundy Money to 150 recipients. The King greeted ambassadors at Buckingham Palace while recovering from his diagnosis, which was revealed in February.

King Charles III Misses Royal Maundy Service Amidst Ongoing Cancer Treatment

London, March 28, 2024 - Queen Camilla, the Queen Consort, graciously attended the Royal Maundy Service at Worcester Cathedral today on behalf of King Charles III, who is currently undergoing cancer treatment. The King, 75, stepped back from public-facing duties following the revelation of his diagnosis on February 5th.

In his absence, Queen Camilla distributed "Maundy Money," symbolic gifts of silver and commemorative coins, to 75 men and 75 women. The number of recipients corresponded to the King's age, a long-standing tradition within the Royal Maundy Service.

The Queen's presence at the service marked a historic moment as she became the first consort to lead the ancient tradition, which dates back to the 7th century. In a recorded audio message played at the service, King Charles expressed his profound regret for not being able to attend in person.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, it is, for me, a great sadness that I cannot be with you all today," the monarch said. "The Maundy Service has a very special place in my heart... As we have just heard, in doing so [washing his disciples' feet], he deliberately gave to them and to us all an example of how we should serve and care for each other."

Despite his absence, King Charles has continued to conduct state business and official paperwork remotely. However, upon medical advice, he has limited his in-person engagements to reduce the number of interactions during his treatment.

Notably, both King Charles and his daughter-in-law, Catherine, Princess of Wales, are currently undergoing cancer treatment. The Princess confirmed her diagnosis in a video message released on March 24th.

While the King was unable to attend the Royal Maundy Service, he is expected to attend the traditional Easter Mattins Service at St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle this Sunday. The event will be smaller in scale than usual, adhering to medical recommendations to minimize the King's exposure to others.

Buckingham Palace has emphasized that King Charles remains in good spirits and is determined to resume his full public duties as soon as possible. His doctors have reassured him that his treatment is progressing well.

The Royal Maundy Service is a centuries-old tradition that symbolizes the monarch's role as a servant of the people. The gifts of money represent the alms given to the poor by early Christian rulers on Maundy Thursday, the day before Good Friday.