Queen Camilla’s first Royal work event after her summer break was of a poignant nature, especially in light of King Charles and Kate Middleton’s cancer journeys

Queen Camilla is returning to work duties today after her summer break for a poignant visit close to her heart.

The 77-year-old spent her summer break at Balmoral with other Senior royals, as per a longstanding family tradition. Now she’s back to her day-to-day duties, with a very special appointment planned for today (September 3).

Today, Camilla will officially open the new Dyson Cancer Centre at Royal United Hospitals (RUH) Bath NHS Foundation Trust – one of the largest cancer centres anywhere in the region.

This of course an important cause for Camilla. Both her husband King Charles and stepdaughter-in-law Princess Kate are currently undergoing cancer treatment, following what has been a difficult year for the Royal Family.

King Charles’ cancer treatment is said to be going better than expected ( 
Image:
POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Princess Kate has opened up candidly about her personal cancer journey ( 
Image:
Tim Merry/Staff Photographer)

During the visit, Camilla will tour the new centre, which first opened its doors to patients in April, and will meet staff and patients as well as some of the supporters who made the centre possible. Some 11,000 supporters raised £10 million, while the Government supplied an additional £40million in funds.

The RUH provides cancer services to more than 500,000 people in South West England, with the Dyson Cancer Centre bringing together the majority of its cancer services under one roof, providing oncology, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy services, plus a 22-bed inpatient ward and wellbeing hub.

Kate, 42, has been largely absent from duty this year on account of her ongoing battle against an undisclosed form of cancer. Ahead of her appearance at the Trooping of the Colour festivities, the mother-of-three opened up about her recovery in a rare candid statement.

The process shared: “I am making good progress, but as anyone going throughchemotherapywill know, there are good days and bad days. On those bad days you feel weak, tired and you have to give in to your body resting. But on the good days, when you feel stronger, you want to make the most of feeling well.

“My treatment is ongoing and will be for a few more months. On the days I feel well enough, it is a joy to engage with school life, spend personal time on the things that give me energy and positivity, as well as starting to do a little work from home.”

Kate’s appearances over the summer have prompted speculation that she will soon be returning to work. However, Kensington Palace has reiterated that she is not expected to make a full return until her medical team advises her to do so. “We have been really clear that [Kate] needs the space and the privacy to recover right now,” a palace spokesperson said in June. “She will return to work when she has had the green light from doctors.”

Meanwhile, close aides to King Charles have revealed there is ‘great optimism’ on his recovery, with treatment going well. It’s also understood that the King’s Royal duties have helped boost his ‘morale’.

One source said: “When battling illness, what he has been able to do gives him a sense of great positivity and encouragement. Having a great positive frame of mind is as important as having the best medical expertise for the physical side of his symptoms. It’s been a great boost for morale and recovery that he is able to complete the scale and nature of events he is able to undertake.”