Queen Camilla returns to royal duties after her summer holiday – and gives an update on King Charles’s health

 Queen Camilla provided a rare public update on the King’s health today/yesterday, assuring well-wishers he is: ‘Doing very well.’

She was speaking as she officially opened a new Dyson Cancer Centre in Bath, a visit which no doubt had added emotional edge given her husband’s own cancer diagnosis.

His Majesty, who is currently holidaying in Scotland, was diagnosed with an undisclosed form of the disease in February and is still undergoing weekly treatment.

There has been no official update for a number of weeks but it is understood King Charles has responded better than even his doctors’ most optimistic expectations.

The Queen’s visit to the unit at the Royal United Hospitals included a stop at the Macmillan Wellbeing Hub, a non-clinical space designed to provide practical and emotional support to patients, families, and carers.

When Suzy Moon of the Macmillan Partnership enquired about the King’s wellbeing, the Queen revealed: ‘He is doing very well.’

The trip is Camilla’s first since her summer break with the King in Balmoral. 

The royal couple hosted various members of the family at the Scottish castle – include the Prince and Princess of Wales, as well as Keir Starmer.

Wearing her hair in a sleek blow-out, the Queen wore glamorous jewellery, including a Van Cleef bangle as well as a friendship bracelet – which has proven a popular royal accessory of late. 

Charles, 75,  has been keen to get back to work following his treatment for cancer.

She also engaged in a lighthearted exchange with Paul Holdway, a 55-year-old nurse and patient undergoing a stem cell transplant to treat his blood cancer.

When asked by Her Majesty, ‘How are you feeling?’ Mr. Holdway replied: ‘I am feeling very tired.’

In response, the Queen, smiling and no doubt with a thought to her husband, remarked: ‘Men won’t admit it.’

Camilla, 77, has openly spoken of her desire for her husband to ‘slow down’ during his treatment, but says the King has insisted on working.

She also spoke to Hilary Marson, who was on her fourth session of chemotherapy, and instantly recognised that she was wearing a ‘cold cap’, which is normally worn for 15 minutes before each treatment and can help to prevent hair loss. ‘You’re got your ice cap on,’ she said.

In May, he revealed he lost his sense of taste during treatment. Buckingham Palace has not yet confirmed details of the King’s treatment, with royal officials only saying so far that he is being treated for an undisclosed form of cancer.

The same month, Camilla revealed Charles was ‘thrilled’ to return to royal duties and joked that she had been ‘trying to hold him back’ during his cancer treatment.

The Queen spoke about the monarch’s dedication to his work’ during her reception at Buckingham Palace to relaunch the Wash Bags Project today.

The monarch returned to public duties  after doctors said they were pleased with his progress following his cancer diagnosis in February.

Charles, who has been a patron of Macmillan Cancer Support for over 20 years, made a trip to a London treatment centre.

Speaking to Teresa Tideman, chairman of In Kind Direct, the Queen said: ‘I think he was really thrilled to be out.’

Giving insight into how Charles has been feeling the past few months, Camilla added: ‘I’ve been trying to hold him back.’

In response, Ms Tidman joked: ‘Good luck with that.’

The King – who is still undergoing cancer treatment – was accompanied by the Queen, who is president of cancer support charity Maggie’s, and the pair were presented with posies after meeting with staff and patients in the cancer centre.

The new Dyson Cancer Centre brings together the majority of the Royal United Hospital’s cancer services, including a research hub, chemotherapy and radiotherapy services, a 22-bed in-patient ward, a dedicated pharmacy and nuclear medicine and physics teams under one roof.

Construction of the centre began in 2021 after supporters (more than 11,000 people donated in total) raised more than £10 million. The centre was backed by an additional £40m in Government funding and opened to patients in April this year.

In the Macmillan Wellbeing Hub, a non-clinical, calming space where patients, families and carers can receive practical and emotional support, Her Majesty will meet patients and hear about the support they’ve received at the centre. Her Majesty will also meet clinical staff and patients receiving treatment in the Medlock Unit (Chemotherapy and Day Unit).

After touring the William Budd inpatient ward, meeting in-patients and clinical staff, Her Majesty will be invited to join a Reception in the Main Atrium with those involved in the centre’s construction, supporters and other members of staff.

The Queen unveiled a plaque officially opening the Dyson Cancer Centre.

Camilla later popped into an egg factory HQ near her home in Wiltshire.

The Queen had a tour of Stonegate Farmers, in Lacock, which has opened its new offices and packing centre, and revealed she eats ‘delicious’ eggs every day.

In her first royal engagement since the Royal Family’s summer break, she shook hands with no less than 86 members of staff and dignitaries.

They included Ben Ansell, Chief Fire Officer for Dorset and Wiltshire, who told the Queen he was a street liner at the Coronation last year.

As the Queen arrives, he said: ‘The last time that I saw you, you were in the Golden Carriage.’

Camilla replied in good spirits: ‘It’s not so formal today.’

Inside, The Queen peered through the windows into the factory floor where 18 million eggs are handled and packed every week.

She joked: ‘How many of them get smashed?’

Adrian Gott, chief executive officer, replied: ‘Too many I can’t tell you.’

During the tour he also showed her the boxed ranges of eggs including Quail and Ostrich eggs.

She was shown boxed eggs coming from chickens including the British black tail breed and Seabright sage green colour eggs.

Camilla replied: ‘Lots of chicken that I have never heard of before.’

The new factory also boasts a new Egg Innovation Center where they make poached eggs, snack omelettes and scrambled eggs for offices and factories.

Stonegate laid on a table of Scotch Eggs, quail eggs and egg muffins.

‘You’ve got eggs coming out of everywhere,’ she said.

On the way out, she unveiled a plaque and gave a speech to the staff waiting outside.

Unveiling the plaque she said: ‘Thank you so much for asking me here today, I’m ashamed to say that living down the road, I pass this thousands of times and never quite sure what went on inside and now I know and now I know where these delicious eggs I eat daily come from.

‘I was thrilled to come here today, so thank you.’

After handing a hamper of goodies including eggs she joked agin while handing them to an aide suggesting she didn’t want them to be dropped or ‘I’d have scrambled eggs.’

During the tour she also viewed a display of Stonegate’s Elephant Family decorated Egg Hunt eggs.

In partnership with Elephant Family, Clarence Court eggs launched The Little Egg in March 2024 to raise funds for the Elephant Family’s projects.

The launch featured large- scale egg-shaped installations which celebrated art, philanthropy, and Easter merriment.

The King and Queen are Joint Royal Presidents of the Elephant Family, a charity which aims to prevent the extinction of Asian elephants and protect their forests, and the diverse wildlife that shares their habitat.

Hilary Thomas, head fundraiser for Elephant Family, was one of the 86 who spoke to the Queen or shook hands inside the HQ.

She said afterwards: ‘She said she has some of the Elephants in her garden.

‘And said some people when it’s dark think for a moment that they are real and traipsing around her garden.’

The state-of-the-art facility packs free-range and organic eggs and advocates for sustainable and ethical farming practices.

Every week, Stonegate Farmers handle over eighteen million eggs from farms across the UK.

Camilla lives a short journey away owning her country home called Ray Mill in Lacock since 1995.