Palace Sources Say King Charles's Hospitalization Was a "Bump in the Road" as He Returns to Regular Duties

It was business as usual for The King on April 1.

King Charles wearing a suit and tie
(Image credit: Getty Images)

King Charles might have been hospitalized last week, but he showed no signs of slowing down on Tuesday, April 1 as he returned to royal duties. The King—who was briefly kept in the hospital after suffering side effects from cancer treatment—was forced to cancel his planned engagements on March 27 and 28, but he appeared in high spirits at Windsor Castle on Tuesday.

The monarch presided over an investiture ceremony at the castle, recognizing British community leaders and celebrities for their work such as beloved TV gardener Alan Titchmarsh and reigning world heptathlon champion Katarina Johnson-Thompson.

According to a statement from Buckingham Palace, King Charles—who announced his cancer diagnosis in February 2024—received his "scheduled and ongoing medical treatment for cancer" at the London Clinic last week when he "experienced temporary side effects that required a short period of observation in hospital."

After canceling a day full of engagements in Birmingham on Friday, March 28, The King traveled to his country retreat, Highgrove House, for the weekend to rest and recover. However, the monarch will be carrying out his usual duties—albeit on a slightly lighter scale—over the next week before The King and Queen leave for their state visit to Italy.

Per the Mirror, sources close to The King have called his hospitalization "a bump in the road" and said his ongoing cancer treatments are "very much headed in the right direction."

King Charles shaking hands with Alan Titchmarsh during an April 1, 2025 investiture at Windsor Castle

King Charles honored TV personality Alan Titchmarsh during an April 1, 2025 investiture at Windsor Castle.

(Image credit: Alamy)

Katarina Johnson-Thompson wearing a black suit shaking hands with King Charles after being made a Member of the Order of the British Empire on April 1, 2025

Athlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson was also honored during the ceremony.

(Image credit: Alamy)

Despite The King's hospital scare and Pope Francis's own health issues, Their Majesties' trip to Italy—which will begin April 7— is still scheduled as planned, with the exception of their visit to The Holy See. On March 25, Buckingham Palace released a statement that the King and Queen's visit with the Pope "has been postponed by mutual agreement" following his bout with double pneumonia.

While they're visiting Rome, King Charles and Queen Camilla will celebrate a major milestone in their relationship, as the trip falls over their 20th wedding anniversary. The couple was recently called the "most compatible" in the Royal Family ahead of their anniversary on April 9.

Speaking on behalf of Betfair Casino, body language expert Darren Stanton said, “I would say Charles and Camilla are the most compatible royal couple. They have had this deep love since they were both very young. We're talking about a 50-year-plus romance."

To Queen Camilla's credit, she's one of the only people The King will take advice from when it comes to slowing down. Royal author Phil Dampier recently told the Sun that while Charles "is renowned for burning midnight oil and even falling asleep at his desk working so many hours," the 76-year-old monarch needs to make a "vital" change.

"He needs to pace himself—which the Queen has said he is hopeless at doing—and she is probably the only person he will listen to," Dampier added.

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Kristin Contino
Senior Royal and Celebrity Editor

Kristin Contino is Marie Claire's Senior Royal and Celebrity editor. She's been covering royalty since 2018—including major moments such as the Platinum Jubilee, Queen Elizabeth II’s death and King Charles III's coronation—and places a particular focus on the British Royal Family's style and what it means.

Prior to working at Marie Claire, she wrote about celebrity and royal fashion at Page Six Style and covered royalty from around the world as chief reporter at Royal Central. Kristin has provided expert commentary for outlets including the BBC, Sky News, US Weekly, the Today Show and many others.

Kristin is also the published author of two novels, “The Legacy of Us” and “A House Full of Windsor.” She's passionate about travel, history, horses, and learning everything she can about her favorite city in the world, London.