The heartfelt and touching exchange between King Charles and Queen Camilla has had a significant emotional impact on royal fans as his annual birthday parade kicked off today.
The monarch, currently undergoing cancer treatment, departed Buckingham Palace this morning for the event in a carriage alongside Queen Camilla.
It is understood that doctors advised King Charles, 75, to conduct the Trooping the Colour review from the Ascot Landau carriage, rather than on horseback as he did last year.
Despite the rain pouring down across London, Charles smiled and waved at the crowds on The Mall, maintaining royal spirits. His daughter-in-law, Princess Kate, 42, travelled in a carriage behind them with her three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.
As Charles and Camilla took in the magnificent sights, they were seen in conversation, with the King making a touching admission to his wife about the celebrations.
According to lip reader, Nicola Hinckley, Charles said to Camilla in the carriage: “Oh dear, I don’t know why I’m feeling rather tearful.”
As the King finished the military parade with a salute, he appeared to stop himself from tearing up once again. Later today, he will be joined by members of his family on the Buckingham Palace balcony to watch the incredible RAF flypast, which will undoubtedly be another monumental moment.
It has been a busy time for the King, who earlier in the week appeared at the King’s Foundation inaugural awards ceremony alongside celebrities, including Sir Rod Stewart and David Beckham.
He also conducted a ceremony at Windsor Castle on Monday where he paid tribute to the “professionalism, courage and humour” of the Irish Guards ahead of the regiment’s central role in Trooping the Colour today.
It was announced yesterday that Princess Kate would be attending the celebration of the King’s official birthday with her family.
In a statement released by the Palace, Kate said she has “good days and bad days” amid her preventative chemotherapy treatment. My treatment is ongoing and will be for a few more months.”
“On the days I feel well enough, it is a joy to engage with school life, spend personal time on the things that give me energy and positivity, as well as start to do a little work from home.”
