Charles III turns 76 in a year of little celebration

Britain's head of state King Charles III turned 76 yesterday, still in the grip of cancer treatment but with his passion for work undimmed by what his son and heir Prince William called a "brutal" year.

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Charles paused royal duties in February after he was diagnosed with an undisclosed cancer. Two and a half months later, at the end of April, he was back at work.

"The problem is trying to stop him," his wife, Queen Camilla, has said several times since.

Last month, the couple even resumed their foreign travels, with the king pausing his treatment while visiting Australia then Samoa for a Commonwealth heads of government meeting.

According to those close to him, Charles returned "invigorated" from the 11-day trip, while one palace official said the king intended to return to a "normal" schedule of overseas trips next year.