King Charles Attends 'Gladiator II' Premiere Amid Cancer Battle

King Charles III, battling cancer, appeared to be in good spirits during a Royal meet-and-greet with the cast of the Gladiator sequel.

Charles happily greeted Gladiator II stars Pedro Pascal, Denzel Washington, Paul Mescal and Connie Nielsen at the film’s London premiere on Wednesday, November 13. He was photographed arriving at the Odeon Lux theater in Leicester Square and seated in the back of a black car. Sporting a black tuxedo and bow tie, he shook hands inside with the actors, all sharply dressed and a bit star-struck, as well as director Ridley Scott, per a video found online. 

The next day, on Thursday, November 14, Charles turned 76 years old. In February, the king announced his cancer diagnosis after undergoing a routine prostate procedure.

“His Majesty has today commenced a schedule of regular treatments, during which time he has been advised by doctors to postpone public-facing duties,” the palace said in a statement at the time. “Throughout this period, His Majesty will continue to undertake State business and official paperwork as usual.”

He resumed public-facing duties in late April. His wife, Queen Camilla, was by his side for his first appearance after his diagnosis, which took place at a specialist cancer center in London. (Camilla was unable to attend Wednesday’s Gladiator event as she continues to recover from a chest infection.)

Her son, Tom Parker Bowles, shared some insight into Charles’ cancer journey in September. “[The] doctor says the treatment is going well,” he said, according to the Daily Express.

Last month, a Buckingham Palace spokesperson confirmed in a statement to Hello! that Charles will continue to go on regular trips abroad as he deals with his health issues.

“We’re now working on a pretty normal-looking full overseas tour program for next year, which is a high point for us, knowing that we can think in those terms,” the Palace rep told the outlet, adding that the king had “genuinely loved” his recent 10-day tour of Australia and Samoa with Camilla, as it lifted “his spirits [and] his mood” and aided “his recovery.”

Despite “the demands” of the tour, the spokesperson said it was “the perfect tonic” for Charles.

Recently, the monarch has made some lifestyle changes. The Daily Mail reported in October that he had started eating lunch on doctor’s orders after decades of viewing the meal as a “luxury” he couldn’t fit into his schedule. A source told the outlet that his lunches now are more like a snack and typically consist of half an avocado.

Meanwhile, he’s keeping up an impressive exercise routine. In early November, Charles revealed what he does to stay in shape while hosting a celebratory reception for U.K. Olympic and Paralympic athletes at Buckingham Palace.

According to The Telegraph, Charles told athletes that he “exercises twice a day,” noting to sprinter Desirèe Henry that he does “squats and does the pull-up bar.” Per the outlet, Charles has been known to follow “Royal Navy-style exercises,” which he learned during his past military service.

British diver Jack Laugher told The Telegraph that Charles was “so animated and interested” during that day’s event and was “really interested in our sports facilities and training program,” adding: “This was the most successful Games for diving, especially for the women.”