LOOKING HAPPY AND HEALTHY THE KING AND QUEEN HAVE A SPRING IN THEIR STEP ON FIRST WALKABOUT SINCE CANCER DIAGNOSIS

There was a distinct chill in the air but an unmistakable warmth in the greeting given to the King when he joined his family at church on Easter Sunday.

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His Majesty was clearly deeply touched by the outpouring of affection from wellwishers young and old, who turned out in force on a fresh spring day to show him their support and filled the air outside St. George’s Chapel in Windsor with cries of “Happy Easter.” Making his first public outing since he began cancer treatment earlier this year, the 75-year-old monarch smiled delightedly as he chatted to the crowds on a spirit-lifting walkabout, shaking hands with 56 people.

He seemed taken aback by the turnout, telling onlookers, “You’re very brave to stand out here in the cold,” while a young boy presented the Queen with a bouquet of white and yellow flowers.

The King’s “mischievous twinkle” – so often commented on by those who have met him – was also in evidence when one kindly member of the public advised him, “Never give in. Keep going strong.”

“I just obey my instructions,” quipped the King, glancing over at his loving wife, who has been his rock through these past challenging weeks.

His presence at the annual event, together with the fact that he was in such good form, was a reassuring sight for royal fans, signifying the start of his comeback.

Indeed, describing the outing as a “significant step” in the King’s recovery, a palace source said His Majesty – whose medics had advised him to avoid large crowds and who, to minimize risk, sat apart from his wider family inside the chapel – has “responded to treatment very encouragingly.”

He is “doing well and the road ahead is looking very positive,” added the source.