Britain’s King Charles III has made a light-hearted reference to his ongoing cancer treatment during the year when asked by a British Sikh well-wisher about his health.
Harvinder Rattan was caught on camera shaking hands with the 76-year-old monarch during a royal visit to east London when he asked him, “How are you?” “I’m still alive,” King Charles responded to Rattan, who was representing the Sikh faith at a celebration of community cohesion at Fellowship Square in Walthamstow on Friday.
The entrepreneur later expressed his honour at being part of the event, which was a “wonderful celebration of the strength, unity, and resilience of our community” and a “true reflection of the vibrant and diverse communities” that made the London borough of Waltham Forest “remarkable”.
“It’s inspiring to see such a strong commitment to building cohesive and inclusive neighbourhoods that we can all be proud of,” he said. The King and his wife, Queen Camilla, were on a visit at the invitation of the Mayor of Waltham Forest, Councillor Sharon Waldron to commemorate a peaceful anti-racism protest organised in the area in August.
Thousands of counter-protesters filled a street outside an immigration centre in the neighbourhood after it was feared as a target of anti-immigrant riots, which were triggered in different parts of the UK as a result of misinformation in the wake of a stabbing of schoolgirls in Southport, north-west England.
The royal visit comes after Buckingham Palace indicated that the monarch’s cancer treatment has been proceeding in a “very positive direction” and will continue into the new year. As a result, Charles is expected to take on a fuller schedule of events in 2025, with a visit to India also on the cards.
Earlier this week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to King Charles during which they are said to have reaffirmed a commitment to further strengthen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between India and the UK.
“They both exchanged greetings on the upcoming festive occasions of Christmas and the New Year. Prime Minister conveyed his best wishes to the King for his good health and wellbeing,” read an Indian government statement.
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