King Charles cancer diagnosis: William makes first public comments as Harry returns to Los Angeles

The Prince of Wales said the royal family appreciates the “kind messages” they received following the King's cancer diagnosis.

Arriving at a gala dinner for London Air Ambulance on Wednesday night, William greeted people gathered outside the venue in central London.

He said: “We really appreciate everyone's kind messages, thank you.”

The London Air Ambulance charity event was the Prince of Wales's first public speech and appearance since King Charles' cancer diagnosis.

Tom Cruise was one of the guests at the event and the couple talked and posed for photographs together.

William later thanked his “fellow pilot” Cruise for attending and made a light-hearted joke about the actor, saying, “Tom, if you don't mind not borrowing any of the new helicopters for the next Mission: Impossible, we'd appreciate it.” .

The 75-year-old monarch's cancer diagnosis was announced on February 5, after undergoing a benign prostate enlargement procedure.

When you are unwell, having an estranged family member show up to offer support, no matter how brief, only adds to your stress.

I dare say that for Prince Harry, flying to be with his father, who was just diagnosed with cancer, is the act of a concerned and dutiful son. But after going about 17 months without speaking to his dad, would it be uncharitable to say that to the rest of us it all seemed pretty… performative?

Read the comment of Pablo Clemente, deputy voice editor for The independent who also spent two weeks in a coma.

Prince Harry flew back to California on Wednesday, completing a 26-hour journey after arriving in the United Kingdom after his father revealed his cancer diagnosis to his youngest son over the phone.

There were hopes the 39-year-old prince's visit would help repair damaged relations between him, his father and his brother, the Prince of Wales. But any hope of reconciliation was dashed when Harry was spotted at Heathrow Airport on Wednesday afternoon.

My colleague Athena Starvou has more:

In the decades he spent waiting to ascend the throne, King Charles always made sure to maintain a strict diet and a strict daily exercise routine.

It is understood that weekly hearings between the King and Rishi Sunak are expected to resume in person within two weeks of Charles' cancer diagnosis.

Downing Street and Buckingham Palace took the unusual step of confirming details of a call between the two on Wednesday, in a bid to show the King was carrying out his duties.

The prime minister was due to wish Charles well in a brief telephone conversation before formal face-to-face hearings begin again on February 21.

The Prince of Wales has spoken for the first time about the King's cancer diagnosis and expressed his gratitude to the public for their “kind messages of support”.

William's words of praise, delivered during a gala fundraising dinner, also acknowledged those wishing the Princess of Wales well as she recovers from planned abdominal surgery.

He told guests: “It means a lot to all of us.”

In British history, secrecy about the monarch's health has always reigned supreme. The palace's revelation that King Charles III had been diagnosed with cancer broke that long tradition.

Hot on the heels of the shock and well-wishes that followed Monday's official statement came the surprise that the palace had actually announced anything. In fact, the unprecedented letter contained few details: Charles, 75, had begun treatment for a cancer he did not mention after being diagnosed during a recent corrective procedure for an enlarged prostate. The king will leave his public duties but will devote himself to state affairs during his treatment, which he will receive as an outpatient, the palace said.