We're going to be ending our live coverage of the King's return to public-facing duties since it was announced earlier this year that he was diagnosed with cancer.

But before we go, we've still got a few more photos of the King and Queen meeting with patients and staff inside the University College Hospital Macmillan Cancer Centre in London.

You can read a report by our royal correspondent Sean Coughlan on today's events right here.

This page was written by Fiona Nimoni, Jacqueline Howard and Ali Abbas Ahmadi, while editing was handled by Rob Corp and Johanna Chisholm. Thanks for joining us.

Image source, Reuters

Image source, PA Media

Image source, Reuters

Image source, PA Media

Image source, PA Media

The King has now concluded his first official engagement since January, during which he and his wife, Queen Camilla, spent the morning visiting with patients and staff at a cancer centre in central London.

We're going to be wrapping up our live coverage shortly, but here's a breakdown of how things went:

• King Charles and Queen Camilla arrived to a warm welcome at University College Hospital's Macmillan cancer centre earlier this morning
• It was announced at the same time that the King is to be the new patron of Cancer Research UK
• After smiling and waving to the crowd, the King and Queen went inside and met with the chief clinician of Cancer Research UK, Charlie Swanton
• They then met with cancer patients in the building, holding their hands and swapping stories
• One of them, 60-year-old Asha Millen, asked the King how he was, to which he replied: "I'm well"
• The monarch appeared to be in good spirits on his return to official engagements, and was described as showing plenty of "energy" three months on from his cancer diagnosis

Image source, PA Media

The King reassured cancer patients about the state of his own health during his official return to public-facing duties today, telling them: "I'm well."

Asha Millen, a 60-year-old cancer patient was spotted chatting with the King. "I said 'how are you?' and he said 'I'm well'," she said, as reported by the PA news agency.

As a reminder, King Charles was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year and today marks his return to official public engagements since that announcement was made back in February.

The monarch looked in good spirits as he returns to official duties, indicating the positive progress he has made after nearly three months of cancer care.

Image source, EPA

The head of Macmillan Cancer Support says she is "delighted" by the King's return to public duties this morning.

The charity's chief executive, Gemma Peters, who met the King and Queen earlier during their visit, says his presence at the centre was "encouraging" for the millions of people who are facing cancer to seek the support they need.

"We hear from people every day who are returning to work after cancer treatment - it's different for everyone and can be a daunting time," she says, adding that Macmillan, which the King has been patron of for more than 20 years, is there to provide support.

Sean Coughlan
BBC News royal correspondent

Image source, Reuters

How did King Charles seem on his trip around the hospital? Chief executive David Probert has told me he showed plenty of “energy” going round.

And on whether the King used the stairs or a lift, it was the stairs.

There was also a sense of shared empathy as he spoke to patients, Probert says, after the King’s own experience of cancer.

The hospital chief welcomed the King’s visit, saying the NHS has been under a lot of pressure and this was valued support.

After spending about an hour inside a central London cancer centre to meet with patients and staff, King Charles and Queen Camilla were seen leaving University College London Hospital at midday.

The pair will all smiles at the end of the visit, which marks the King's first official royal engagement since revealing his cancer diagnosis in February.

Image source, PA Media

Image source, PA Media

Image source, PA Media

King Charles has now left the cancer centre, so, as his first official engagement since being diagnosed with cancer comes to close, let's recap some of the highlights from this morning:

• As he arrived at the Macmillan cancer centre, we received the announcement that the King is to be the new patron of Cancer Research UK
• After smiling and waving at the crowd gathered outside the centre, he went inside and met with the chief clinician of Cancer Research UK, Charlie Swanton
• Following that, he and the Queen spent some time with cancer patients, holding their hands and swapping stories
• He emphasised the importance of getting checks for an early diagnosis, and that the challenge in cancer treatment is "to get enough people early"

Sean Coughlan
BBC News royal correspondent

A young patient at the hospital was given a set of books by Queen Camilla. Plus a big chocolate coin.

The book-loving Queen had picked books by Arthur Ransome, Gerald Durrell and Jean Giono.

That last one had a particularly appropriate title - The Man Who Planted Trees. It’s a beautiful French story about one man’s efforts to re-forest a valley and save the local ecological environment.

Can’t think who else would like a book like that.

The boy’s mum said how much they’d enjoyed the royal visit, not least she said as a “distraction” on the regular visits to the hospital.

King's return to public duties will be 'carefully calibrated'published at 12:33 British Summer Time 30 April

12:33 BST 30 April

Michelle Roberts
Health editor, BBC News online

Image source, POOL

Buckingham Palace has already said the pace of the King's return to public duties will be "carefully calibrated".

No one will want to put his health in jeopardy.

Throughout his cancer treatment, the King has held private meetings as head of state and completed official paperwork, but this hospital visit today is his first major public engagement mixing with lots of people.

Some types of cancer therapy can leave people at higher risk of catching infections.

Any necessary precautions around his visit - for the King and the patients in the hospital - will have been fully considered ahead of time.

We don't know what treatment the King is receiving, as that's private and confidential patient information.

But today he is smiling and shaking hands with staff.

And Buckingham Palace has said "it is too early to say" how long the King's treatment will last.

His Majesty's medical team is "very encouraged" about his continued recovery and his doctors have been "sufficiently pleased" with progress made so far.

Some of his engagements will be adapted, if needed, "to minimise any risks to His Majesty's continued recovery".

Image source, PA Media

As King Charles and Queen Camilla ended their royal visit at University College Hospital, they were seen receiving a bouquet of flowers each as they waved farewell.

The couple smiled as they waved to members of the public who had crowded around the entrance to the cancer centre in the hopes of catching a glimpse of the royals.

Image source, PA Media

King Charles could be seen smiling as he arrived at the University College Hospital cancer centre this morning, which marks his return to public duties since announcing his cancer diagnosis earlier this year.

You can watch the moment he arrived in the video below:

Sean Coughlan
BBC News royal correspondent

Image source, Reuters

Inside the hospital, King Charles has been seen talking to staff and patients.

Emphasising the importance of getting checks for an early diagnosis, he says the challenge is “to get enough people early”.

He has been talking to patients in a ward for people undergoing chemotherapy.

After all the hospital visits he must have done, this must now feel like shared personal experience.

Image source, Reuters

Arriving at his next stop inside the hospital, King Charles and Queen Camilla are now visiting with cancer patients at the University College Hospital cancer centre.

The King, who himself was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year, was seen holding hands and speaking with patients who are receiving chemotherapy and other treatments at the hospital.

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

King Charles is now meeting with Charlie Swanton, the chief clinician of Cancer Research UK - a charity that, as we reported earlier, he is now the patron to.

The King spent time speaking with Swanton and other hospital staff while inspecting a CT scanner during a visit to University College Hospital Macmillan Cancer Centre.

Image source, Reuters

We can now bring you some more pictures that capture the moment that King Charles and Queen Camilla arrived at the University College Hospital Macmillan Cancer Centre in London.

Image source, Reuters

Image source, PA Media

Image source, Reuters

King looks pleased to be out and about againpublished at 11:40 British Summer Time 30 April

11:40 BST 30 April

Sean Coughlan
BBC News royal correspondent

The King is literally back on the road – the royal Bentley rolling up outside the University College Hospital Macmillan Cancer Centre just moments ago.

He looks pleased to be back, alongside Queen Camilla, smiling and waving while being watched by a large media encampment over the road.

“Are you glad to be back?” someone could be heard shouting.

And he replied with that kind of cheerful but indistinct noise that sounds like agreeing with someone without being pinned down to anything specific.

Alphabetti spaghetti without any of the vowels.

As the King went inside the hospital’s glass doors, there were cheers from staff and patients inside.

Image source, PA Media

As the King resumes public-facing engagements today, it was also just announced that the 75-year-old monarch has been named as the new patron of Cancer Research UK.

The King, who has also been patron of Macmillan Cancer Support for more than 20 years, is aiming to raise awareness on the importance of early cancer diagnosis during his visit today.

As the new patron of Cancer Research UK, the King will meet the charity's chief clinician, Professor Charlie Swanton, who has led a project called TRACERx tackling lung and other cancers.

Image source, PA Media

King Charles and Queen Camilla have just arrived at the University College Hospital Macmillan Cancer Centre in central London, where they are going to be meeting with cancer patients and staff at the centre.

Stay here as we bring you more live text updates of their visit.

A virtual monarchy is embracedpublished at 10:57 British Summer Time 30 April

10:57 BST 30 April

Sean Coughlan
BBC News royal correspondent

Even though the King has now been out and about meeting the public, there have been some efforts to make sure he’s stayed visible, if only as a virtual monarch.

When the King wasn’t at events, such as the Maundy Service and the Commonwealth Service, there were video and audio messages played instead.

There were video clips released of the King looking at get well cards and meeting Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, all sending out messages of continuity and keeping the show on the road. It tapped into the old saying that a monarch has to be seen to be believed.

Maybe palace officials learned from the experience of the Covid lockdown and the health problems of the late Queen Elizabeth II, where it was also a case of making sure the monarch remained in view.

Image source, EPA

As we’ve been reporting, the King and Queen Camilla are due to visit a cancer treatment facility in central London, where they’ll meet patients and staff.

BBC royal correspondent Sean Coughlan last week described it as a “symbolic trip”, in the wider context of the King’s own cancer diagnosis.

The royals are expected to discuss the importance of early diagnosis and highlight some of the innovative research that is taking place at the hospital.