King Charles ‘looking better’ as he appears without Camilla

'He seemed in good spirits, he was lovely.'

King Charles was greeted by more than 100 well-wishers as he returned from a church service on the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk today.

The royal was wearing a grey suit, purple tie and brown shoes as he appeared without Camilla.

He could be seen wearing a grey suit, purple tie and brown shoes during the walk, which is just a few minutes long.

His decision to stop and speak to members of the public, as he continues treatment for cancer, went down well with those in attendance.

Joanne Barker, a 57-year-old from Derbyshire, said: ‘I think he looks a lot better. I admire him so much.

‘Even just to talk to people, he’s amazing, but I think he looked a lot better than he has done.

‘He was walking quite well. I think he seemed in good spirits, he was lovely and he had a laugh with us.’

She was among those invited into the nearby paddock to watch as the 75-year-old king walked back to Sandringham House from St Mary Magdalene Church.

Barker asked Charles whether he knew the folklore behind the crooked spire in Chesterfield, where she is from.

She said: ‘He said ‘no’, so we told him the devil came over as they were building it and sort of tipped it,” she said.

‘He laughed and said, “I like that, I like that very much, I prefer that than the twisted oak story”.’

Charles had first spoken to Flt Lt Pauline Petch and a line-up of air cadets from 42F Squadron as he left the church service.

Petch, 66, is retiring next week after overseeing the local RAF cadets for the last 20 years, with the Sandringham Flower Show as her last duty.

Clashing commitments mean Charles and Camilla won’t be attending, by Petch had sent a card inviting him when she heard news of his cancer diagnosis.

In it, the former teacher said: ‘I hope I’ll see you at the flower show which will be my 20th year in command and probably my last engagement.’

But she was invited to meet the king today instead, which she described as ‘an honour’.

Petch said: ‘He spoke to each of the cadets so well and asked them so many different things about their schooling and about what they get from cadets.

‘He’s so interested and always has been.’

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