King Charles Holds Audiences at Buckingham Palace as He Misses Royal Easter Tradition amid Cancer Treatment

Mar. 15, 2025

King Charles greets the Ambassador of Moldova at Buckingham Palace on March 28, 2024.Photo:Victoria Jones / POOL / AFP via GettyKing Charlesheld private audiences atBuckingham Palaceaftermissing the Royal Maundy Serviceamid hiscancer treatment.The King, 75, was pictured greeting ambassadors Epimeni Bapfinda of Burundi and Ruslan Bolbocean of Moldova separately on Thursday. Both men presented the Letters of Recall of his predecessor and his own Letters of Credence.The monarch, whosecancer diagnosiswas publicly revealed on Feb. 5, has been continuing with state business and official paperwork amid his treatment but has taken a step back from public-facing duties, causing him to miss theRoyal Maundy Service, which takes place each year on the Thursday before Easter.King Charles greets the Ambassador of Burundi, Epimeni Bapfinda, at Buckingham Palace on March 28, 2024.Victoria Jones / POOL / AFP via GettyQueen Camilla, 76, stepped in at Worcester Cathedral, distributing gifts of “Maundy Money” on behalf of herself and King Charles, giving 75 men and 75 women coin purses. The number of recipients signified the age of the King, and each person received one white pouch and one red pouch. The white purse featured custom silver Maundy coins while the red purse contained a £5 coin emblazoned with a Tudor Dragon and a 50 pence coin commemorating the Royal National Lifeboat Institution during its 200th anniversary this year.The Queenmade history with the appearance, becoming the first consort to lead the ancient tradition, which the royal familytraces backto 600 A.D.Queen Camilla hands out Maundy Money at the Royal Maundy Service on March 28, 2024.JUSTIN TALLIS/POOL/AFP via Getty ImagesKing Charles may not have attended the service, but he made sure torecord an audio messagethat was played.“Ladies and Gentlemen, it is, for me, a great sadness that I cannot be with you all today,” the monarch said in part. “The Maundy Service has a very special place in my heart. It has its origin in the life of Our Lord who knelt before his disciples and, to their great surprise, washed their travel-weary feet. And, as we have just heard, in doing so he deliberately gave to them and to us all an example of how we should serve and care for each other.“Can’t get enough of PEOPLE’s Royals coverage?Sign up for our free Royals newsletterto get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more!Queen Camilla before the Royal Maundy Service at Worcester Cathedral on March 28, 2024.Samir Hussein/WireImageDespite the monarch missing Thursday’s service in Worcester, the palace confirmed that heis set to attend the traditional Easter Mattins Serviceat St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle this Sunday. The event is understood to be smaller-scale than usual, following doctors' advice tolimit the number of people the King should come in contactwith during his cancer treatment.Both the King and his daughter-in-law,Kate Middleton, are currently undergoing cancer treatment. The Princess of Wales, 42,confirmed her diagnosisin a personal video message released last Friday.

King Charles greets the Ambassador of Moldova at Buckingham Palace on March 28, 2024.Photo:Victoria Jones / POOL / AFP via Getty

Victoria Jones / POOL / AFP via Getty

King Charlesheld private audiences atBuckingham Palaceaftermissing the Royal Maundy Serviceamid hiscancer treatment.The King, 75, was pictured greeting ambassadors Epimeni Bapfinda of Burundi and Ruslan Bolbocean of Moldova separately on Thursday. Both men presented the Letters of Recall of his predecessor and his own Letters of Credence.The monarch, whosecancer diagnosiswas publicly revealed on Feb. 5, has been continuing with state business and official paperwork amid his treatment but has taken a step back from public-facing duties, causing him to miss theRoyal Maundy Service, which takes place each year on the Thursday before Easter.King Charles greets the Ambassador of Burundi, Epimeni Bapfinda, at Buckingham Palace on March 28, 2024.Victoria Jones / POOL / AFP via GettyQueen Camilla, 76, stepped in at Worcester Cathedral, distributing gifts of “Maundy Money” on behalf of herself and King Charles, giving 75 men and 75 women coin purses. The number of recipients signified the age of the King, and each person received one white pouch and one red pouch. The white purse featured custom silver Maundy coins while the red purse contained a £5 coin emblazoned with a Tudor Dragon and a 50 pence coin commemorating the Royal National Lifeboat Institution during its 200th anniversary this year.The Queenmade history with the appearance, becoming the first consort to lead the ancient tradition, which the royal familytraces backto 600 A.D.Queen Camilla hands out Maundy Money at the Royal Maundy Service on March 28, 2024.JUSTIN TALLIS/POOL/AFP via Getty ImagesKing Charles may not have attended the service, but he made sure torecord an audio messagethat was played.“Ladies and Gentlemen, it is, for me, a great sadness that I cannot be with you all today,” the monarch said in part. “The Maundy Service has a very special place in my heart. It has its origin in the life of Our Lord who knelt before his disciples and, to their great surprise, washed their travel-weary feet. And, as we have just heard, in doing so he deliberately gave to them and to us all an example of how we should serve and care for each other.“Can’t get enough of PEOPLE’s Royals coverage?Sign up for our free Royals newsletterto get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more!Queen Camilla before the Royal Maundy Service at Worcester Cathedral on March 28, 2024.Samir Hussein/WireImageDespite the monarch missing Thursday’s service in Worcester, the palace confirmed that heis set to attend the traditional Easter Mattins Serviceat St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle this Sunday. The event is understood to be smaller-scale than usual, following doctors' advice tolimit the number of people the King should come in contactwith during his cancer treatment.Both the King and his daughter-in-law,Kate Middleton, are currently undergoing cancer treatment. The Princess of Wales, 42,confirmed her diagnosisin a personal video message released last Friday.

King Charlesheld private audiences atBuckingham Palaceaftermissing the Royal Maundy Serviceamid hiscancer treatment.

The King, 75, was pictured greeting ambassadors Epimeni Bapfinda of Burundi and Ruslan Bolbocean of Moldova separately on Thursday. Both men presented the Letters of Recall of his predecessor and his own Letters of Credence.

The monarch, whosecancer diagnosiswas publicly revealed on Feb. 5, has been continuing with state business and official paperwork amid his treatment but has taken a step back from public-facing duties, causing him to miss theRoyal Maundy Service, which takes place each year on the Thursday before Easter.

King Charles greets the Ambassador of Burundi, Epimeni Bapfinda, at Buckingham Palace on March 28, 2024.Victoria Jones / POOL / AFP via Getty

Queen Camilla, 76, stepped in at Worcester Cathedral, distributing gifts of “Maundy Money” on behalf of herself and King Charles, giving 75 men and 75 women coin purses. The number of recipients signified the age of the King, and each person received one white pouch and one red pouch. The white purse featured custom silver Maundy coins while the red purse contained a £5 coin emblazoned with a Tudor Dragon and a 50 pence coin commemorating the Royal National Lifeboat Institution during its 200th anniversary this year.

The Queenmade history with the appearance, becoming the first consort to lead the ancient tradition, which the royal familytraces backto 600 A.D.

Queen Camilla hands out Maundy Money at the Royal Maundy Service on March 28, 2024.JUSTIN TALLIS/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

JUSTIN TALLIS/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

King Charles may not have attended the service, but he made sure torecord an audio messagethat was played.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, it is, for me, a great sadness that I cannot be with you all today,” the monarch said in part. “The Maundy Service has a very special place in my heart. It has its origin in the life of Our Lord who knelt before his disciples and, to their great surprise, washed their travel-weary feet. And, as we have just heard, in doing so he deliberately gave to them and to us all an example of how we should serve and care for each other.”

Can’t get enough of PEOPLE’s Royals coverage?Sign up for our free Royals newsletterto get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more!

Queen Camilla before the Royal Maundy Service at Worcester Cathedral on March 28, 2024.Samir Hussein/WireImage

Samir Hussein/WireImage

Despite the monarch missing Thursday’s service in Worcester, the palace confirmed that heis set to attend the traditional Easter Mattins Serviceat St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle this Sunday. The event is understood to be smaller-scale than usual, following doctors' advice tolimit the number of people the King should come in contactwith during his cancer treatment.

Both the King and his daughter-in-law,Kate Middleton, are currently undergoing cancer treatment. The Princess of Wales, 42,confirmed her diagnosisin a personal video message released last Friday.

source: people.com