A year ago today, King Charles was crowned in a grand ceremony at Westminster Abbey, watched by over 20 million people in the UK and millions more worldwide. Since then, His Majesty has faced numerous personal and familial challenges.

In February, he was diagnosed with cancer, shortly after his daughter-in-law, Kate, revealed her own battle with the disease. The nation was also shocked by the tragic death of Thomas Kingston, the son-in-law of Prince Michael of Kent, who took his own life in February.

In April, the King faced renewed scrutiny over his brother Prince Andrew’s involvement with Jeffrey Epstein following the release of the Netflix drama “Scoop.” Despite these difficulties, Charles demonstrated his popularity abroad with a successful state visit to Paris in September and hosted a state banquet for the president of South Korea in November.

Following his cancer diagnosis, the King postponed public engagements and received treatment, supported by his family. Prince Harry made a brief visit to the UK to see his father after the diagnosis, highlighting the complexities of Charles’ desire for a streamlined monarchy.

Despite the challenges, the King returned to his public duties last week after receiving positive updates from his medical team. His first engagement since his diagnosis was a visit to a cancer treatment centre, a poignant reminder of his own battle and Kate’s ongoing fight against cancer.

In March, Kate bravely revealed her diagnosis and underwent “preventative” chemotherapy. Her courage was praised by the King, who remains in close contact with his daughter-in-law. Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, also faced health challenges, revealing a skin cancer diagnosis in January after undergoing treatment for breast cancer last year.