Cancer-stricken King Charles jokes he’s glad to be ‘out of my cage’ at Army training base while William rocks the shades on Cornish surf beach – after neither saw Harry on his UK visit

The King joked today that he was glad to be ‘out of my cage’ as he embarked on his first military engagement since announcing a comeback to public-facing duties.

Charles met military staff and their families at a training base for the Army’s Royal Engineers in Surrey, while his son Prince William was on engagements in Cornwall and his wife Queen Camilla hosted a reception for an animal charity in London.

It comes as Prince Harry prepares to fly onto Nigeria after seeing neither during his quick visit to London which saw him attend a range of Invictus Games events.

William visited Newquay this afternoon where his Duchy of Cornwall has been building its first ever housing project to help address homelessness in Nansledan.

He then went to Fistral Beach, putting on sunglasses in the glorious weather while he spoke with young lifesavers and played volleyball. A nine-year-old boy named Phoenix Kanes asked him to sign his plaster cast on his arm – and the Prince obliged.

Back in London, Camilla posed for photographs with guests and mini ponies as she hosted a reception at Buckingham Palace to mark the 90th anniversary of Brooke, a charity dedicated to improving the lives of working horses, donkeys, and mules.

In Surrey, the King apologised to the Army for making a visit at the last moment but said he had wanted to come as soon as he had been ‘allowed out of my cage’.

Charles made his comments during a visit to the 3 Royal School of Military Engineering (3RSME) at Gibraltar Barracks in Minley this afternoon.

The King, who is Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Engineers, was met by the Lord Lieutenant Nigel Atkinson and Major General Eldon Millar before he received a salute from a Quarter Guard comprising officers from the school.

As he was led into the officers’ mess by Lieutenant Colonel Robert Grant, commanding officer of 3RSME, the King said to him: ‘I do apologise for taking you by surprise, when this opportunity appeared and I had been allowed out of my cage, I wanted to come to have a look.’

Lt Col Grant told the PA news agency: ‘We only had six days to pull this together but the only answer from us was ‘yes’. There was a palpable sense of excitement as you saw the units spark into life for the visit.’

The King then met with groups of engineers and their families where he learnt about their experiences training at the school and the support they receive from their loved ones.

He shared a joke with Natalie Newman, the wife of Corporal Joseph Newman, when she told him that they had three children. Charles told her: ‘Nothing a strong drink won’t help.’

When Cpl Newman told him that his role was as an electrician, he said to Mrs Newman: ‘Terribly helpful to have an electrician around.’

She replied jokingly: ‘Well, you say that!’

Speaking afterwards, Mrs Newman, 34, from Poole, Dorset, said: ‘It was amazing, nerve-wracking, but amazing.

‘I just said how many children I had, I said I had three children, and he said ‘It was nothing a strong drink won’t help’.

‘He was really funny, he appeared absolutely fine and upbeat.’

Cpl Newman, 32, said: ‘He is a really lovely person, he liked to engage with you, it wasn’t a fleeting chat, it was an in-depth conversation.’

The King also met officers from the 8 Engineer Brigade HQ, which provides engineering support to military operations and, before he left, Charles signed the regiment’s visitors’ book and was presented with gifts of flowers and Royal Engineer china mugs from the children of some of the barracks’ serving soldiers.

He also took the chance to meet families and staff members who waited outside to see him leave and the King told them: ‘Aren’t you all meant to be having lunch?’

The King was then presented with a portrait of himself drawn by six-year-old Louie Bacon, son of Warrant Officer 2 Mark Bacon.

Louie said it was good to meet the King and he was very excited.

The boy’s mother Kim Lewis, of Fleet, said: ‘It was really exciting, a once-in-a-lifetime chance, definitely worth half a day off.’

The 3RSME was formed in September 1939 as the Combat Engineer Centre of Excellence.

All Royal Engineer soldiers and officers pass through 3 RSME to receive combat engineer initial trade training.

The school is responsible for providing command courses at the junior and senior level, as well as combat engineer courses, teaching skills such as bridging, demolitions and water supply.

It is thought the King has been receiving his cancer treatment as an outpatient midweek.

He hosted the first Buckingham Palace garden party of the season yesterday.

Charles, wearing a grey suit and light blue waistcoat, could be seen smiling to the crowds as he entered the garden with the Queen.

He was joined by the Princess Royal, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.

Charles attended three events last week as he resumed engagements, indicating the positive effect of his treatment.

On Monday, the Lord President of the Privy Council, Penny Mordaunt, said the King is feeling ‘very good’ and ‘would have been so pleased’ to return to public-facing events.

The Privy Council is a body of senior advisers to the King.

Asked how Charles is doing, Ms Mordaunt told GB News: ‘He’s very good. And I know that he would have been so pleased to get back to public duties. He would have missed it tremendously.

‘I think everyone is really pleased to see him back and I know that he wants to do more, so it’s been a good week.’

There was speculation that the Duke of Sussex, who has travelled to the UK to celebrate the 10th anniversary of his Invictus Games, may have seen his father, but a spokesman for Harry said the King’s ‘full programme’ meant the get-together would not happen.

Charles and Harry last met soon after the King announced his cancer diagnosis in February.

Harry, who lives with his family in California, travelled from the US to see his father.

A spokesman for the duke said: ‘In response to the many inquiries and continued speculation on whether or not the duke will meet with his father while in the UK this week, it unfortunately will not be possible due to his majesty’s full programme.

‘The duke of course is understanding of his father’s diary of commitments and various other priorities and hopes to see him soon.’