Joggers at a weekend parkrun were greeted with a royal surprise as they ran round Sandringham – some moral support from the King.
Charles attended the event, organised in partnership with the Move Against Cancer charity, ahead of World Cancer Day next week, and joined ambassador Sarah Byatt in cheering the participants on as they completed their first lap.
The King, who has been receiving cancer treatment as an outpatient himself since February 2024, revealed in December that his care could be reduced this year.
In the televised address, he said his “good news” was “thanks to early diagnosis, effective intervention and adherence to doctors’ orders”.
‘A memory that will live long into the future’
This is the second year in a row that the King has turned up to the Sandringham parkrun as a spectator. Last year, he spent time chatting to members as they marked the occasion at the visitors’ centre on his Norfolk estate.
In a statement shared alongside photos on social media, organisers of the run said: “A heartfelt thank you to His Majesty The King for greeting us on the first lap of Sandringham parkrun in the beautiful setting of the Sandringham Estate this morning.
“The sun was shining and lots of people were able to enjoy taking a moment, sharing their stories, and chatting with others as they navigated the course.
“This is the second time (a year to the day!) that he has surprised us and his continued support of the fantastic initiative that is MOVE Against Cancer Charity and wider raising of the profile of cancer and the forthcoming World Cancer Day on Wednesday (04/02/26) cannot be understated and is truly appreciated.
“A memory that will live long into the future.”
The parkrun, organised in partnership with Move Against Cancer’s 5K Your Way group, was set up to support those living with cancer, as well as families, friends and healthcare professionals.
The official Royal Family social media accounts also shared photos and explained the charity’s work to followers.
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“Ahead of #WorldCancerDay next week, the King paid a surprise visit to participants of Sandringham parkrun this morning, organised in partnership with the charity Move Against Cancer and Sandringham’s 5K Your Way group,” a statement said.
“5K Your Way encourages anyone impacted by cancer to walk, jog, run, cheer or volunteer at more than 120 designated parkrun events across the UK and Ireland on the last Saturday of each month – bringing communities together through movement, friendship and encouragement.”
Parkrun was founded in 2004. More than 20 years on, hundreds of thousands of people across 22 countries now take part in the weekly 5km running events.
