The monarch is currently undergoing treatment amid his cancer battle.
King Charles III is responding well to his cancer treatment. Amid speculation that Charles is doing poorly amid his cancer battle, royal expert Katie Nicholl set the record straight in an interview with ET.
"There have been claims in some media outlets that the king is not doing well in his cancer battle. I think the announcements out of the palace and... the king's imminent return to public duties should stop such nonsense in it's track, quite frankly," Nicholl said.
Indeed, on Friday, Buckingham Palace announced that the 75-year-old monarch plans to "return to public-facing duties after a period of treatment and recuperation following his recent cancer diagnosis."
"This all indicates that the king is responding well to treatment that he's doing very, very well," Nicholl said. "... My sources have been telling me that the king has been responding very positively to his medical treatment, that his medical team are very pleased with his progress. I think that the news that we hear out of the palace really supports all of that, because he's coming back to work."
Next week, Charles and his wife, Queen Camilla, will visit a cancer treatment center. The appearance will be their first since Easter.
"What I think we're going to see now is the king really champion raising awareness of cancer. He's very aware of the incredible spotlight he can bring to important causes, something he has done his whole life," Nicholl said. "He's sending out a very clear message by making his first visit as he returns to public-facing duties, a visit to a cancer treatment center."
Then, in June, Charles and Camilla will host the Emperor and Empress of Japan for a state visit.
"Charles has hosted two state visits during his tenure as king. They are pretty demanding. They require a huge amount of time and planning," Nicholl said. "I think the fact that these things are in the diary are all very positive indicators of his progress."
On top of the scheduled appearances announced by the palace, Nicholl noted that the king is expected at several other events throughout the summer.
"My sources tell me that we can expect to see him at Trooping the Colour, and that he is going to be at Royal Ascot, which is a really important fixture in his diary," she said. "The wonderful garden parties at Buckingham Palace, which are so important to the many members of the public that get invited, will go ahead and the king hopes to be at some of those."
Even so, Nicholl cautioned that, while "doctors have been so impressed" with how Charles has responded to treatment and are "very willing to allow him to do some of his schedule," his appearances will be "scaled down."
"My sources say that probably the most frustrating thing for the king in all of this has been that he hasn't been able to do the work that he's wanted to do," Nicholl said. "... He's very, very relieved that he's going to be able to resume that."
Also encouraging is the new photo Buckingham Palace released on Friday, which shows the king and queen smiling as they walk side-by-side. According to Nicholl, "That picture was really sent out sort of as a message of hope, a message that the king is doing very well."
"The picture was taken the day after their 19th wedding anniversary on the 10th of April in Buckingham Palace gardens," she said. "They are arm-in-arm. The queen is wearing a beautiful vibrant blue dress by one of her favorite designers, Fiona Claire. The king is looking remarkably well. He hasn't lost any of his hair. He doesn't look like he's lost too much weight. He's smiling broadly. This does not look like a king going through cancer treatment."
"I think the fact that his medical team have signed off on him to carry out these engagements... is a really positive sign," Nicholl added. "I think there's so much positivity and optimism in that photograph."
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