King Charles may be in the midst of fighting cancer, but the monarch bravely made an appearance at St. George’s Chapel this weekend for the traditional Easter service.

With questions concerning the King’s condition and wellbeing abound, royal fans will undoubtedly have been reassured to see him. Charles also took the time to shake hands and greet members of the gathered crowd before he and Camilla entered the chapel.

It marked the King’s first public appearance since he began treatment for cancer two months ago, and though no official information has been given as to the nature of his cancer, nor what stage it has reached, many took Charles’s outing as a positive sign.

Given all that’s been said and rumored about Kate Middleton over the past few weeks, the health of King Charles has somewhat flown under the radar. The 75-year-old monarch was said to be traveling between London and Sandringham for respective bouts of treatment and rest, but not many updates have been offered as to the progress of his recovery.

As such there was a definite buzz around Charles’ first public outing since the announcement of his diagnosis. This past weekend he appeared alongside fellow Royal Family members – though fewer than usual – for the traditional Easter service at St. George’s Chapel.

Given the recent string of events, the occasion was always going to come under scrutiny, but it was arguably the seating arrangement that became the biggest talking point.
WINDSOR, ENGLAND – MARCH 31: King Charles III and Queen Camilla attend the Easter Service at Windsor Castle on March 31, 2024 in Windsor, England. (Photo by Samir Hussein/WireImage)
That is to say that Charles being seated apart from the rest of the royals once within the chapel sparked intrigue online. It should go without saying that this was no random move, nor was it grounded in some ancient tradition that appears to have no meaning or logical explanation today. No, there was an important, if not saddening reason.

As per reports, the Royal Family’s Easter service was a significantly scaled back affair this year, and a number of changes were observed. Firstly, Charles and Queen Camilla, usually seen arriving with the rest of the royals for a joint walk into the chapel, arrived by car, just the two of them.

Not only that, but the traditional lunch hosted by the King after the service was also removed from the schedule. The lunch is said to serve as a time for the Royal Family to come together privately, but this year marked a shift in proceedings.

Add those things to the aforementioned decision to have Charles sitting on his own inside St. George’s Chapel and you’ve certainly got enough elements to leave people scratching their heads.

According to reports, King Charles was seated away from the rest of his family to ensure his safety as he continues to be treated for cancer. On the advice of experts, the Royal Family’s numbers were also limited to avoid the risk of infection.

Needless to say, Charles’ appearance at the service struck a happy note with many royal fans. Beneath a slideshow of photos from the service posted to Instagram, messages from commenters included things like “God save the King!” and “In my prayers.”
WINDSOR, UNITED KINGDOM – MARCH 31: (EMBARGOED FOR PUBLICATION IN UK NEWSPAPERS UNTIL 24 HOURS AFTER CREATE DATE AND TIME) King Charles III attends the traditional Easter Sunday Mattins Service at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle on March 31, 2024 in Windsor, England. Following the service The King greeted members of the public, during a walkabout, for the first time since the announcement that he had been diagnosed with cancer. Photo by Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
Others expressed concern for the aging monarch after he took the time to shake hands with those gathered to see him arrive at St. George’s Chapel.

“He should watch or be isolated away from the people so he doesn’t get sick,” one person wrote.

“So should he have gone and shaken hands with loads of strangers…” another pondered.

A third said: “Bet he was not meant to do this walkabout and shake hands. His doctors will not be pleased.”