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King Charles 'Optimistic' About Recovery: Ailing Monarch 'Hopes to Attend' Royal Ascot This Summer and Other Major Events

A ailing King Charles III remains 'optimistic' about his cancer prognosis and hopes to attend Royal Ascot this summer.

King Charles III, who has been receiving treatments for an unknown cancer since early February, remains "optimistic" about his potential recovery from the disease. With a series of pomp-filled, annual royal events set to kick off in weeks, the monarch "hopes to attend" Royal Ascot and Trooping the Colour in June, specifically.

"The King and Queen are hoping to attend some form of Easter service in Windsor," a royal source spilled regarding the upcoming tradition of royal church attendance for the Easter holiday. "However, it will not be the large family gathering that we might expect to see in different circumstances."

Kate, Princess of Wales, was also recently rumored to be scheduled to attend this service, but in the wake of her own cancer diagnosis, she, and Prince William nor their three children, will be attending the event.

This news comes after a palace source told an outlet, "There are a number of key events His Majesty would love to attend coming up in the diary, and this is at the top of the list."

Another royal source spilled that there is "likely no way the King could take the salute on horseback this year," which is what Charles III did for his first Trooping the Colour in June 2023. Therefore, one such modification being floated around is his use of a carriage, which is what the late Queen Elizabeth II chose to do from 1987 until 2019.

It is also currently unknown if Kate, Princess of Wales, will attend this event, with one royal insider sharing, shortly after she announced her illness, that she will likely be absent from public "until at least September."

"We just have to come to terms with the new reality, there’s fewer of them," His Majesty's former Communications Secretary Paddy Harverson told an outlet. "And so everyone just needs to sort of understand that they will still be busy, they will get over this."

He continued: "I am highly confident that the King, who I know well, is incredibly strong, very resilient, a great spiritual person, so I know he’ll get through it. And likewise, with Kate, I think once they’re through this sticky patch, I think we’ll get back to normal."

Trooping the Colour marks the monarch's official birthday even though the King's actual birthday is November 14. The grand military pageant found its origins during the reign of the monarch's namesake, King Charles II, in the late 1600s. The event of today dates to the reign of King George II in 1748, with a few minor alterations over the succeeding decades.

This year's upcoming event, which is one of the most anticipated in the royal calendar, comes at a time of "crisis" for the monarchy due to illnesses and a lack of senior royals for public duties.

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