LONDON: Britain's King Charles III on Monday marked the first anniversary of his coronation following a difficult year that has seen a cancer diagnosis.
To celebrate the occasion a 41-gun salute rang out from Green Park next to Buckingham Palace at noon, followed an hour later with 62 volleys fired from another central London location.
No official events, however, were planned with the milestone coming less than a week after King Charles resumed public duties since his diagnosis.
He visited fellow cancer patients at a London hospital on Tuesday after doctors said they were "very encouraged" by his progress.
The 75-year-old monarch was also reportedly keen to mark the day with minimal "fuss" given the link between his accession and the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth II.
The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, who crowned King Charles a year ago at Westminster Abbey, praised his "sense of duty".
"The past year has presented the king with some great personal challenges. But I have been struck by his continued sense of duty, having recently returned to royal engagements following treatment," he said. "His openness in sharing his condition has been characteristic of his willingness to help and support others," he added.
The anniversary comes as an Ipsos poll for the Daily Mail saw King Charles's personal popularity rating rise to 56 percent.
Catherine, 42, also known as Kate, announced her own shock cancer diagnosis in late March following abdominal surgery which had already forced her to withdraw from public life.
The double blow of both Charles's and Catherine's ill health has left the royal family facing a shortage of frontline royals. Queen Camilla, 76, stepped in to take over many of her husband's engagements while King Charles's sister Princess Anne and his youngest brother Prince Edward have also taken on more prominent roles.
The domestic PA agency reported that he was "likely to be reunited with (King) Charles" at some point during his visit.
Last year's coronation saw tens of thousands of people line the streets of London and street parties held up and down the country.
Television images of the historic ceremony at Westminster Abbey was beamed around the world. — AFP
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