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The cancer-stricken King was being driven away from Windsor Castle as senior members of the British and European monarchies rallied together for a memorial service in honour of King Constantine of Greece.

The monarch, 75, who is undergoing treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer, was staying at the royal residence on Tuesday but left before the service to his late second cousin started.

The service – lead by Queen Camilla in the King’s absence – was attended by an all-star royal resemble, including King Constantine’s widow Her Majesty Queen Anne-Marie, former Queen of the Hellenes and eldest son Royal Highness Crown Prince Pavlos.

Just hours later after being whisked away, Charles was spotted waving to well-wishers as he arrived at Clarence House in London, where he has been staying as he is treated for cancer.

The King has not been carrying out public-facing duties since he was diagnosed on February 5.

King Charles was seen waving to the public as he arrived at Clarence House on Tuesday afternoon

King Charles was seen waving to the public as he arrived at Clarence House on Tuesday afternoon

The King had been at Windsor Castle earlier today but left before the memorial service began

The King had been at Windsor Castle earlier today but left before the memorial service began

King Constantine II of Greece, pictured with King Charles and Queen Camilla on December 9 2007

King Constantine II of Greece, pictured with King Charles and Queen Camilla on December 9 2007

Queen Camilla wipes away a tear at the memorial service for the life of King Constantine

Queen Camilla wipes away a tear at the memorial service for the life of King Constantine 

Pictured: Guests attend a thanksgiving service for the life of King Constantine of the Hellenes at St George's Chapel, in Windsor Castle, Berkshire

Pictured: Guests attend a thanksgiving service for the life of King Constantine of the Hellenes at St George’s Chapel, in Windsor Castle, Berkshire

Pictured: L-R The Duke of Gloucester, Admiral Sir Tim Laurence and the Princess Royal are joined by (second row left to right) Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, Sarah Duchess of York, Lady Helen Taylor and the Duke of Kent attend a thanksgiving service for the life of King Constantine of the Hellenes

Pictured: L-R The Duke of Gloucester, Admiral Sir Tim Laurence and the Princess Royal are joined by (second row left to right) Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, Sarah Duchess of York, Lady Helen Taylor and the Duke of Kent attend a thanksgiving service for the life of King Constantine of the Hellenes

Pictured: L-R: Queen Anne-Marie of the Hellenes, Crown Prince Pavlos of Greece and Crown Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece attend a thanksgiving service for the life of King Constantine of the Hellenes at St George's Chapel, in Windsor Castle

Pictured: L-R: Queen Anne-Marie of the Hellenes, Crown Prince Pavlos of Greece and Crown Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece attend a thanksgiving service for the life of King Constantine of the Hellenes at St George’s Chapel, in Windsor Castle

Charles was diagnosed with an enlarged prostate on January 17 while staying at Birkhall, Aberdeenshire, after going for a check-up with his doctors.

It had been reported at the time that he may only need to take up to a month off from public duties during his recovery. 

He was admitted to the London Clinic in Marylebone on January 26, where he was kept for three nights while undergoing a successful procedure for his benign condition.

A timeline of the Royal’s health woes

January 16: Kate is admitted to the London Clinic for abdominal surgery

January 17: It is announced that King Charles is having treatment for an enlarged prostate

January 18: Prince William goes to Kate’s bedside and says she is ‘doing well’ after surgery

January 18: Queen Camilla says the King is doing ‘fine’ and looking forward to getting back to work 

January 19: King Charles flies back from Scotland and heads to Sandringham estate to rest ahead of his prostate procedure

January 21: It is announced that the Duchess of York has skin cancer

January 25: The King travels back to London ready for his treatment

January 29: The King and Kate are discharged the same day

January 31: Queen Camilla says the King is ‘doing his best’ after surgery

February 5: Buckingham Palace announces the King has cancer 

February 10: The King expressed his ‘heartfelt thanks’ for the messages he has received  

Camilla had told people inside The London Clinic that the King was ‘doing well’ after the procedure. 

But on February 5, the Palace shockingly revealed that the King, who only acceded to the throne 17 months ago, had been diagnosed with a form of cancer.

It did not confirm what type of cancer the King has, or what stage it is, but is it understood that it is not prostate cancer and has been caught early.

No details as to the type of treatment the King is receiving have been released.

The King is famously a workaholic who takes after his late mother in being very hands-on with the business of monarchy.

But Buckingham Palace confirmed that his team of doctors has suggested he suspend all face-to-face royal duties, with Queen Camilla taking some of them on in his place.

Nevertheless, Charles has been working behind-the-scenes as much as he can while being treated for his cancer by reviewing paperwork, signing documents and holding private meetings.

The diagnosis means the King is unlikely to be at the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey on March 11, which is usually attended by senior members of the Royal Family. 

The King is understood to have personally informed his sons Prince William and Prince Harry about his condition. 

Harry, 39, flew to London on a ten-hour commercial British Airways flight from Los Angeles to Heathrow on Tuesday February 6 to visit his father at the Sandringham Estate, where the monarch has been staying since his diagnosis. 

Harry arrived at the royal residence at 2.42pm and then spent around 45 minutes chatting with his father. 

It was their first formal meeting in person since the late Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral in September 2022.

The father and son had a ‘brief meeting’ before the King and Camilla were driven to Buckingham Palace where a helicopter was waiting to take them back to Sandringham.

Pictured: L-R Lord Cavendish of Furness, US climate envoy John Kerry and Dame Norma Major

Pictured: L-R Lord Cavendish of Furness, US climate envoy John Kerry and Dame Norma Major

Pictured: Prince Andrew the Duke of York attends a thanksgiving service for the life of King Constantine

Pictured: Prince Andrew the Duke of York attends a thanksgiving service for the life of King Constantine

Pictured: Crown Prince Alexander of Serbia and Princess Catherine of Serbia

Pictured: Crown Prince Alexander of Serbia and Princess Catherine of Serbia

Pictured: Zara Tindall attends a thanksgiving service for the life of King Constantine of the Hellenes

Pictured: Zara Tindall attends a thanksgiving service for the life of King Constantine of the Hellenes

Pictured: Prince Pavlos, Crown Prince of Greece, Prince of Denmark RE, and Marie-Chantal, Crown Princess of Greece, Princess of Denmark (both front) and Prince Philippos of Greece and Denmark (fifth right) attend the thanksgiving service

Pictured: Prince Pavlos, Crown Prince of Greece, Prince of Denmark RE, and Marie-Chantal, Crown Princess of Greece, Princess of Denmark (both front) and Prince Philippos of Greece and Denmark (fifth right) attend the thanksgiving service

Queen Noor of Khorndania and Kyril of Bulgaria

Dax Miller and Alexandra von Furstenberg

Queen Noor of Khorndania and Kyril of Bulgaria and Dax Miller and Alexandra von Furstenberg attended the thanksgiving service today 

Pictured: Birgitte, Duchess of Gloucester and Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester

Pictured: Birgitte, Duchess of Gloucester and Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester

Pictured: Jackie Stewart arrives to attend a thanksgiving service for the life of King Constantine of the Hellenes

Pictured: Jackie Stewart arrives to attend a thanksgiving service for the life of King Constantine of the Hellenes

Charles broke his silence to the public on February 10, a week after his cancer diagnosis, as he offered his ‘heartfelt thanks’ to the British public for their ‘many messages of support and good wishes’.

In a letter published by Sandringham House he said he was ‘heartened’ to hear his experience is inspiring others up and down the country to get themselves checked.

The letter, signed by Charles R, read: ‘I would like to express my most heartfelt thanks for the many messages of support and good wishes I have received in recent days.

‘As all those who have been affected by cancer will know, such kind thoughts are the greatest comfort and encouragement.

‘It is equally heartening to hear how sharing my own diagnosis has helped promote public understanding and shine a light on the work of all those organisations which support cancer patients and their families across the UK and wider world.

‘My lifelong admiration for their tireless care and dedication is all the greater as a result of my own personal experience.’

The day after publishing the letter, Charles was seen wearing his signature long brown coat and using an umbrella as a walking stick as he attended a service at St Mary Magdalene Church.

The monarch smiled and waved at a crowd of more than 100 well-wishers as he visited the Sandringham Estate Chapel alongside  Camilla before being greeted by rev Canon Paul Williams.

King Charles seemed in high sprits as he attended a church service on the Sandringham estate

King Charles seemed in high sprits as he attended a church service on the Sandringham estate 

The King and Queen Camilla were pictured at the Sandringham Estate Chapel before being greeted by rev Canon Paul Williams

The King and Queen Camilla were pictured at the Sandringham Estate Chapel before being greeted by rev Canon Paul Williams

A crowd of more than 100 well-wishers gathered on the Sandringham estate to offer their support to the King and Queen

A crowd of more than 100 well-wishers gathered on the Sandringham estate to offer their support to the King and Queen

King Charles and offered 'heartfelt thanks' to the British public on Saturday evening in a letter from Sandringham House

King Charles and offered ‘heartfelt thanks’ to the British public on Saturday evening in a letter from Sandringham House

The King is understood to have personally informed his sons Prince William and Prince Harry about his condition

The King is understood to have personally informed his sons Prince William and Prince Harry about his condition 

Friends of the ‘workaholic’ monarch say he will likely be indulging in two of his favourite hobbies – walking and water painting – while doing what clearly doesn’t come naturally – taking it easy.

A friend noted: ‘Boredom will be one of the hardest things for him.’ 

Another added that the King is likely to spend some of his time enjoying one of his more idiosyncratic passions: listening to his beloved records of the late Canadian singer Leonard Cohen, specifically the poetic song Take This Waltz, which he has described as ‘very moving’.

While the King is resting in Norfolk, insiders say it is possible he might decamp to Wood Farm, the five-bedroom house on the Sandringham Estate, where there would be fewer people around ‘making a fuss’.

It was a favourite bolthole of his mother, the late Queen, and was where Prince Philip spent much of his retirement.

Meanwhile, a Greek orthodox monk has claimed that King Charles has turned to him for spiritual advice since being diagnosed with cancer.

It’s claimed that the King secretly contacted Archimandrite Ephraim, with whom he’s said to have been friends with for over 25 years.

The King and the Abbot are understood to have grown close after Princess Diana’s death in 1997.

The 75-year-old King will continue resting at the Norfolk estate where he has been based since leaving hospital after his prostate surgery (stock photo)

The 75-year-old King will continue resting at the Norfolk estate where he has been based since leaving hospital after his prostate surgery (stock photo)

King Charles III and Queen Camilla attend the Sunday service at the Church of St Mary Magdalene on the Sandringham estate on February 4, 2024

King Charles III and Queen Camilla attend the Sunday service at the Church of St Mary Magdalene on the Sandringham estate on February 4, 2024

The King and Queen leaving the London Clinic following his enlarged prostate surgery on January 29

The King and Queen leaving the London Clinic following his enlarged prostate surgery on January 29

The royal has been based in Sandringham since leaving the London Clinic, in the capital, where he stayed for three nights and left on January 29

The royal has been based in Sandringham since leaving the London Clinic, in the capital, where he stayed for three nights and left on January 29

The King was visited by Queen Camilla four times when he was in hospital

 The King was visited by Queen Camilla four times when he was in hospital

Charles was unable to attend Constantine’s funeral in Athens last year because of commitments which included meeting the president of Cyprus. The Princess Royal represented him at the service. 

The Prince of Wales, who was due to give a reading at his godfather’s memorial, called the family to apologise, while Kensington Palace confirmed Kate was ‘doing well’ as she recovers at home.

Kate will remain away from official royal engagements until after Easter as she recovers from her surgery.

Prince Andrew was present today with Sarah, Duchess of York and his daughters Princess Eugenie and Beatrice because it was deemed a personal family event.

It is also understood that the Duke of York was attending the service as a member of the British Royal Family and had been invited by the Greek Royal Family.

Constantine, who died in an Athens hospital, acceded to the throne at the age of 23 in 1964.

The young king, who had won Olympic gold in sailing, was initially hugely popular.

By the following year he had squandered much of that support with his active involvement in the machinations that brought down the popularly elected Centre Union government of prime minister George Papandreou.

The episode, still widely known in Greece as the ‘apostasy’ or defection from the ruling party of several politicians, destabilised the constitutional order and led to a military coup in 1967.

Meanwhile, the Princess of Wales is understood to be ‘doing well’ as she recovers from abdominal surgery.

Earlier this month, The Daily Mail exclusively revealed that Kate joined Prince William and their three children for a half-term holiday to the Sandringham estate in Norfolk.

‘Catherine is recovering well,’ a friend told Diary editor Richard Eden.

‘She was looking forward to a change of scene and will be able to take it easy in Norfolk while the children let off steam with William.’

As news that Kate had been discharged emerged, a Kensington Palace spokesman said: ‘The Princess of Wales has returned home to Windsor to continue her recovery from surgery. She is making good progress.

‘The Prince and Princess wish to say a huge thank you to the entire team at The London Clinic, especially the dedicated nursing staff, for the care they have provided. 

‘The Wales family continues to be grateful for the well wishes they have received from around the world.’

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This post first appeared on Daily mail