The Personal Detail King Charles Shared with Fellow Cancer Patients as He Resumed Royal Duties

The King connected with cancer patients, telling them, "It's always a bit of shock when they tell you"

King Charles opened up about his cancer treatment during a poignant visit to a cancer treatment center.

The King, 75, resumed public-facing royal duties for the first time since Buckingham Palace announced the news about his health in February, visiting the Macmillan Cancer Centre at the University College Hospital London on April 30. Along with Queen Camilla, the King met patients and staff to emphasize the importance of early cancer detection and learn more about the innovative research happening at the hospital supported by Cancer Research U.K.

While connecting with patients, King Charles told them that he was going for his own treatment later in the day, Chris Ship of ITV wrote on X.

"Many patients said afterward they felt a personal connection with him as he understands what they had been through and are still going through," the royals reporter added.

The King also spoke with patient Lesley Woodbridge, holding her hand and saying, "It’s always a bit of shock when they tell you," according to Rebecca English of the Daily Mail.

Asked how he was feeling, the monarch told a patient at the hospital, "I'm alright, thank you very much, not too bad," according to Hello! magazine.

The emotional engagement doubled as King Charles’ first day as the new patron of Cancer Research U.K., taking over a post previously held by his mother, Queen Elizabeth.

Related: A Complete Timeline of King Charles' Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment

David Probert, chief executive of University College Hospital London, exclusively tells PEOPLE that the King was "full of great energy" as he toured the hub during the "uplifting" visit.

According to Probert, the monarch "engaged positively and, as always, was incredibly enthusiastic with the staff."

"It was a wonderful atmosphere. The energy was high. Their Majesties were full of enthusiasm and engaging with the patients and most importantly for our staff," he says.

Probert said the King, whom he had met before, was "incredibly knowledgeable, and every time I speak to him, I learn something new about cancer."

Related: Prince William Makes Solo Visit to Northern England as King Charles Resumes Public Duties amid Cancer

Probert says that the King was greatly engaged while connecting with clinicians to hear more about the latest innovations in technology there and described how the royal said there’s hope "it’s a golden age for cancer discovery." The executive added that the whole hospital team took pride in the King’s selection of the site for his first public engagement to resume public-facing duties.

"We didn’t rehearse our staff to clap and cheer. Everybody was happy and keen to meet the King and Queen — you could just tell by the smiles and the enthusiastic comments that they were talking to someone who’s himself been through a difficult time," Probert tells PEOPLE.

"It meant a huge amount to our staff. This has been an incredibly difficult few years for the NHS [National Health Service]. We’ve just come off the back of COVID and we care for many patients with cancer, it’s one of the biggest areas for us, and for the King and Queen to choose to come here was incredibly uplifting," he adds.

As the King and Queen made their way out of the center following the morning tour, they received flowers from Della Thomas, 6, and Ellis Edwards, 11, who are patients at the hospital. In return, the royal couple also had gifts of their own for the kids — some books and a chocolate treat for Ellis and a bag of goodies for Della, including a toy version of the Queen’s beloved dog Beth and an oversized chocolate coin.

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Buckingham Palace announced on April 26 that the King would be resuming public-facing royal duties after announcing his cancer diagnosis in February. The hospital visit was the first of several engagements planned for the monarch in the weeks ahead, including hosting a state visit at Buckingham Palace for the Emperor and Empress of Japan in late June.

A palace spokesperson added that the King’s cancer treatment is ongoing, along with a positive sentiment from his doctors.

"His Majesty’s treatment program will continue, but doctors are sufficiently pleased with the progress made so far that The King is now able to resume a number of public-facing duties. Forthcoming engagements will be adapted where necessary to minimize any risks to His Majesty’s continued recovery," a Buckingham Palace spokesperson said on April 30.

"His Majesty is greatly encouraged to be resuming some public-facing duties and very grateful to his medical team for their continued care and expertise," they explained.

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