Following his cancer diagnosis, King Charles arrived at Sandringham Castle located in England's Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty on February 6, 2024.
This day in particular holds an important date in the royal family because it is the date of the death of King George VI 72 years ago. King George, Charles's grandfather, died in his sleep of a coronary artery clot at the age of 56.
According to the Daily Mail, King Charles was photographed for the first time since his diagnosis outside Clarence House in Westminster, as he and his wife waved to the cameras with a smile from their black Bentley.
The royal couple headed to the palace, and from there they headed to Sandringham via helicopter.
King Charles arrived at Sandringham exactly 72 years after the death of King George VI
February 6 was a sad day in British royal history, as it was the day King George VI died in 1952, leaving Britain in the hands of his 25-year-old daughter, Princess Elizabeth. According to the Daily Mail, King George VI was diagnosed with lung cancer and had surgery to remove part of his left lung in 1951 due to his heavy smoking.
Although the surgery was successful, an unexpected tragedy struck as he developed a coronary blood clot after only five months, leading to his sudden death. According to People magazine, Princess Elizabeth did not learn of her father's death for several hours as she was in Kenya at the time.
As his first daughter, she was crowned queen in 1952 at the age of 27. According to People magazine, the Queen spent the day sitting at Sandringham every year to honor her father.
Some see King Charles' visit to Sandringham as a way to continue his mother's tradition. According to the Daily Mail, the king will reportedly split his time between the estate and London while continuing his other duties with his outpatient treatment in the city, which he began on Monday.
King Charles met Prince Harry before arriving at Sandringham
On February 6, King Charles and Prince Harry met for the first time in nine months. The prince made a 10-hour trip from Los Angeles, where he lived with his wife and children, to the UK to see his father after hearing about his cancer diagnosis.
According to the Mirror, the couple met for 30 minutes at Clarence House before the prince was seen leaving with his motorcade. Shortly afterwards, King Charles and Queen Camille left for Sandringham.
King Charles' cancer diagnosis shook the nation. According to the Daily Mail, the cancer was discovered in the early stages after the king underwent corrective surgery for benign prostatic hyperplasia at a London clinic on January 26.
On February 5, Buckingham Palace issued a statement stating that the King had been diagnosed with “a form of cancer” but assured the public that the King remained “absolutely positive about his treatment.” He will reportedly step down from his public duties but will manage state business and official papers.
His public duties will be carried out by senior members of the royal family, including Prince William and Queen Camilla. The former is currently caring for his wife, who is recovering at their Windsor home after undergoing abdominal surgery.
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