King Charles returned to work this week for his first public engagement in months, after taking some time off following his cancer diagnosis.
Buckingham Palace revealed His Majesty’s illness back in February, following his stay in hospital for an enlarged prostate.
The King is still receiving cancer treatment, but visited University College Hospital Macmillan Cancer Centre with his wife, Queen Camilla, on Tuesday as part of his royal duties.
During the visit, the 75-year-old paired his navy striped suit with a pink tie, but on closer inspection, his choice of accessory seems to hold a sweet significance.
The pastel-coloured tie is actually covered in tiny light blue dinosaurs, a print that his grandchildren Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis would undoubtedly get a kick out of.
According to royal expert and author, Robert Hardman, the tie is thought to have been a gift from one of his family members, so it’s possible one of the younger royals gave it to him.
With this in mind, the T-Rex pattern could be seen as a sweet hidden message, a cheeky nod to the Sovereign’s new title: Charles III Rex, which could be shortened to C-Rex, much like the dinosaur.
For those curious about how the ‘Rex’ fits in to the title, it’s the Latin word for King. So it’s just another way of writing King Charles III.
The Rex or ‘R’ also features in Charles’ official monogram, with his initials C and R, the III and a representation of the crown.
Details about Charles’ unique tie — which he’s also worn to church in Sandringham and at a walkabout in Manchester — were revealed in Robert’s new book Charles III: New King. New Court. The Inside Story.
The writer claims that the King’s mood is ‘more cheerful these days’ and this has ‘even permeated his wardrobe’.
He adds: ‘Finding gifts for the man who really does have everything, but, since his accession, his family have given the King several new ties. A particular favourite, is of pale pink silk with a light blue tyrannosaurus rex pattern printed all over it.
‘Is the T-Rex motif a humorous, coded play on C-Rex? “I couldn’t possibly comment”, says one of his team with a grin, suggesting strongly that it might be.’
During the engagement at the Cancer Centre on Tuesday, May 30, Charles spoke with fellow cancer patients and shared an update on his own health, claiming he is feeling ‘much better’.
However, he did admit his diagnosis was a ‘shock’. He told one patient, who is currently undergoing chemotherapy: ‘It’s always a bit of a shock, isn’t it, when they tell you?’
He added that he too would be having cancer treatment later that afternoon, for his undisclosed form of the disease.
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