For the first time since his cancer diagnosis was revealed, King Charles III met in person with United Kingdom Prime Minister Rishi Sunak today.

The audience was held at Buckingham Palace, and was the first in-person audience the British monarch and Sunak have had this year. At the start, which cameras were allowed to capture, the PM told Charles, “Good evening, Your Majesty. Very nice to see you. Wonderful to see you looking so well.” Charles replied, jokingly, “It’s all done by mirrors.”

The king also told Sunak, “I have had so many wonderful messages and cards. It’s reduced me to tears most of the time.”

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When the palace shared the news of Charles’s diagnosis, it said he “has been advised by doctors to postpone public-facing duties. Throughout this period, His Majesty will continue to undertake State business and official paperwork as usual.” Over the last few weeks, the king has been staying at his Sandringham country estate in Norfolk. He has been pictured attending Sunday church services alongside Queen Camilla, but has not participated in any official engagements.

Shortly after the news of the diagnosis came out, Sunak said he was in “regular contact” with King Charles, adding that “we’ll just be willing him on and hopefully we get through this as quickly as possible.”

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Today is just the second time King Charles has shared his feelings on his health. Earlier this month, in a personal message following his diagnosis, he wrote, “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.”

He added, “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 organizations which support cancer patients and their families across the U.K. and wider world. My lifelong admiration for their tireless care and dedication is all the greater as a result of my own personal experience.”

From: Town & Country US

Emily Burack

Senior News Editor

Emily Burack (she/her) is the Senior News Editor for Town & Country, where she covers entertainment, culture, the royals, and a range of other subjects. Before joining T&C, she was the deputy managing editor at Hey Alma, a Jewish culture site. Follow her @emburack on Twitter and Instagram.