King Charles leaves cancer charity members 'shocked' amid surprise outing

The "Move Against Cancer's 5K Your Way" group organised the event in partnership with Sandringham Parkrun.

The ambassador for the run, Sophie Hansell, said nobody knew the King was coming.

She told the BBC: "I was just in shock, I think I stood with my mouth in aghast for a minute."

According to Hansell, a staff member at Sandringham invited the King to January's event via a letter.

King Charles, 76, snuck in to surprise the runners who had gathered in the restaurant area.

Hansell said: "They just set up the restaurant, so it was quite informal, and he came in through the kitchen door."

Roughly 18 members of the cancer charity got the chance to meet the King.

The 5k Your Way initiative focuses on the benefits of physical exercise combined with peer support.

The Move Against Cancer group hopes to support those battling cancer and those caring for them.

Parkruns take place on the last Saturday morning of each month.

Not every day you get royal approval at parkrun 👑

This morning, His Majesty The King joined Sandringham parkrunners in the cafe to offer his congratulations, including to the Sandringham 5k Your Way group as they marked their one-year anniversary.

🌳 #loveparkrun pic.twitter.com/IQA5qsptMW

— parkrun UK (@parkrunUK) January 25, 2025

LATEST ROYAL NEWS:

• Kate and William have a 'lot to consider' as Prince George decision looms
• Harry shares rare glimpse inside California mansion amid '£1m price drop'
• Beatrice's stepson enjoyed special moment after Dara Huang's major change

Buckingham Palace announced that King Charles was diagnosed with cancer last February.

He began treatment as an outpatient soon afterwards.

Hansell continued: "He was really engaging. I think a lot of the people who spoke to him said that he seemed to understand what it was like [cancer], and so he could really talk on the level of people's treatment and their recovery.

"As much as you can empathise from an outsider's perspective, it is completely different having gone through it [cancer] yourself."