King Charles visits York Hospital
King Charles made a heartfelt visit to the Sir Robert Ogden Macmillan Cancer Centre at York Hospital on May 26, 2026. The monarch met with staff members, patients, and people involved in the center’s recent redevelopment project. During the visit, the 77-year-old monarch was seen warmly greeting guests in the center’s new garden area, which was created to provide patients and families with a peaceful space during treatment. A clip shared online showed the royal hugging a woman and kissing her on both cheeks, which is a rare public interaction for the monarch.
A warm welcome for the King as he visits the site of the newly redeveloped Sir Robert Ogden Macmillan Cancer Centre, York, in his role as Patron of @macmillancancer where he is meeting staff and patients who have worked on the project which includes a new garden. pic.twitter.com/meBNLHv8nu
— Rebecca English (@RE_DailyMail) May 26, 2026
The King speaks openly about cancer with patients
During the event, King Charles spoke with different patients receiving cancer treatment, including representative Louise Rhodes, who has stage 4 breast cancer. Rhodes explained that her father died from cancer in 2024, and the monarch responded by saying it was important for people to openly discuss the illness. Charles also praised Macmillan Cancer Support, an organization he has supported as a patron since 1997. Meanwhile, Rhodes told the BBC that it was an honor to meet King Charles and that they connected straight away.
Recognising the inspiring @macmillancancer patients and staff 🫶
The King, Patron of Macmillan Cancer Support since 1997, visited York Hospital – the site of the newly redeveloped Sir Robert Ogden Macmillan Cancer Centre.
His Majesty met staff and patients including local… pic.twitter.com/GrG4qVDBii
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) May 26, 2026
“The King was just lovely, so personable, so friendly. He’s got cancer, I’ve got cancer, and straightaway he sort of looked in my eyes, so you’ve got that bond, I suppose. And I think he gets it, he understands, being a patient,” she said.
King Charles continues public duties while receiving cancer treatment
Buckingham Palace first announced King Charles’ cancer diagnosis in February 2024 after he underwent treatment for an enlarged prostate. Although the palace confirmed he did not have prostate cancer, the King began regular medical treatments soon after. Following a short break from royal commitments, he returned to work in April 2024 with a visit to another Macmillan Cancer Centre in London. Since then, the British monarch has continued attending royal events and overseas tours while also speaking publicly about the importance of cancer awareness and early detection.
