King Charles was said to be in “good spirits” as he honoured world champion athlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson with an MBE. Approaching his 77th birthday, Charles resumed his public commitments after a brief pause last week due to mild side effects from his cancer treatment.
His cheerfulness was evident as he met and spoke with attendees, including Johnson-Thompson, during Tuesday’s investiture at Windsor Castle. The 32-year-old, acclaimed for her distinguished track and field career, was pleased to witness the monarch’s buoyant mood, saying: “He seemed in good spirits. You know it’s long, all day, because so many people are getting honoured today. So he seems in really good spirits and I’m happy to see that he’s fit and well.”
Discussing her exchange with the King, the Liverpool-born athlete revealed: “We were just chatting about the toll that athletics puts on, or sports puts on the human body, and just how long I’ve been doing it. He also mentioned that you need a good physiotherapist.”
Johnson-Thompson is the current the world heptathlon champion, claiming gold in 2023 after overcoming a serious Achilles injury in 2020 that had put her career in jeopardy. She secured silver at last year’s Paris Olympics.
Meanwhile, gardening icon and television presenter Alan Titchmarsh lauded the King’s “boundless energy” upon receiving his CBE. The green-fingered guru said: “Anybody who knows him at all, who’s worked with him, is just in awe of his boundless energy – that’s without the issue that he’s had. He is so energetic, he’s not just a talker, he’s a doer.”
Titchmarsh, 75, called the King “tremendously loyal” as he recounted their 40-year friendship. He admitted they don’t exchange gardening tips but do share heartfelt conversations about their mutual hobby.
He said: “He very kindly said I’m climbing up the ladder, which was nice of him – from MBE to CBE.”
Buckingham Palace first made the King’s cancer diagnosis public back in February 2024. His brief stint in hospital last Thursday was described as a “bump in the road” by palace sources.
