King Charles has now officially marked two years on the throne, and it's been a rollercoaster of events .
The King's own battle with cancer wasn't the only health scare within the Royal family, as his daughter-in-law, the Princess of Wales, was also struck by a cancer diagnosis . Thankfully, things seem to be looking up health-wise there.
However, the ongoing saga with Prince Harry shows no signs of cooling down. In May, King Charles stood his ground and didn't yield to demands to meet with Prince Harry, 39, during the latter's visit to London for the Invictus Games' 10th-anniversary event at St Paul's Cathedral.
Reports have sparked concerns that father and son have cut communication - intensified by the fact that Harry doesn't automatically get police protection in the UK anymore, fueling their rift. A palace source disclosed: "Would the King prefer relations were not as they were between his son and the family? Of course. But the King is focussed on things he believes are more important right now."
Nevertheless, those in the inner circle claim that despite the tough year, the 75-year-old monarch is keen to buckle down and embrace his Royal responsibilities with a fresh zest. A confidante mentioned: "There has been a lot going on, but the King has always been upbeat. Not once has he allowed himself to question the future he's dealt with everything head-on."
"Now he is back in business. There is a spring in his step and a renewed vigor with it too. Everything is looking positive, which is welcome."
King Charles has been finalizing plans for his first international tour alongside Queen Camilla, set to visit Australia and attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Samoa next month. He has expressed to his aides his desire to "makeup for lost time" and establish his own legacy, while also considering plans to honor his late mother. Last week, The Mirror reported that the King had approved plans for a memorial dedicated to Queen Elizabeth II in St James's Park, London.
The Queen passed away at the age of 96 on September 8, 2022, and the statue will be unveiled in 2026, marking what would have been her 100th birthday. The Royal family honored the late Queen Elizabeth II by sharing a photo from a Buckingham Palace garden party in 2019, captioned: "Remembering Queen Elizabeth II, 1926-2022."
Charles and Camilla commemorated the anniversary of her passing by attending a service at Crathie Kirk, near Balmoral. The King spent the remainder of the day "in quiet reflection" at Balmoral, where his mother passed away.
A source intimately familiar with King Charles revealed: "Through all the trials and tribulations the King has had to deal with this year, for himself and his family, I've never seen a person so positive and upbeat about the future. Even though he has been receiving regular hospital treatment, having to adapt his diary and way of working for a time this year, he never once felt sorry for himself or bemoaned his situation."
"If anything he wants to use it as a positive to help other people and raise awareness. That is at the heart of why he chose to be so candid. With the autumn tour on the horizon to Australia and the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Samoa, the King very much feels this is the second chapter of his reign and he is very positive about the future."
Insiders have shared that the King drew "great comfort and strength" from the public's love and support post-cancer diagnosis. One insider noted: "It's fair to say this has been a pretty testing time for the King and other members of his family. Any plans he may have had in the initial stages of his reign have had to be redrawn and adapted but he has taken it all in his stride."
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