'Human' CHARLES

Living with cancer, ‘no speaks’ with Harry and a tough workload. The King’s mantra: ‘Keep B****ring On’

- By Emily Andrews

The King's very happy,' says his biographer Robert Hardman. 'He finds the business of State fascinating, enjoys meeting people, holds lots more parties and loves a hug. In fact, he's rather a hug magnet.'

But what about his age (76), his health (he is still receiving weekly treatment for cancer) and the family feud (his split from younger son Prince Harry)?

'I think the King is more human than ever,' says Robert. 'He's keeping the show on the road. Every week he's driven to hospital for his cancer treatment, happy to be seen, waving to people from the Bentley, and we can see it's not impinging on his job.

'As he said, in that Churchillian phrase, he keeps b****ring on. That's very him: slightly self-deprecating, slightly eye-rolling, but ultimately just getting on with it.'

Certainly, in the past year since he returned to work, the King has done a lot. He has travelled to Australia, Samoa, Poland, Italy and Canada; hosted state visits with Japan, Qatar and France; invited thousands of guests to Buckingham Palace; posed for portraits; and tended his government red boxes every night.

Relishing his role as global statesman, he has 'wielded soft power to the benefit of all the realms and Commonwealth nations at a time of great international challenge', says a senior aide – meeting with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, wooing EU leaders, and planning an unprecedented second State Visit for US president Donald Trump this September. And, as head of the Armed Forces, he celebrates and commemorates all that service personnel do and have done for the UK. He even found time to curate a playlist for Apple Music (Kylie Minogue and Bob Marley feature, while Beyoncé's Crazy in Love was a left-field entry), reorganise the garden at Sandringham and hang new pictures at Balmoral.