King is ‘fine’ and ‘looking forward to getting back to work’, Camilla says

The Queen has said the King is “fine” and “looking forward to getting back to work” as he awaits treatment for an enlarged prostate.

Camilla was on a solo visit to Aberdeen Art Gallery on Thursday to open its new Safe Space, an initiative to provide help and guidance to people if they suspect someone is living with domestic abuse.

Asked about the King by the Lord Provost, she replied: “He’s fine, thank-you very much. Looking forward to getting back to work.”

The King, who is at his private home Birkhall in Aberdeenshire, is preparing for a corrective procedure after being diagnosed with a benign enlarged prostate.

Buckingham Palace, in an unprecedented double royal health scare, announced the news on Wednesday just an hour-and-a-half after Kensington Palace revealed the Princess of Wales had undergone abdominal surgery.

The 75-year-old monarch, who acceded to the throne 16 months ago, will be admitted to hospital next week.

Camilla appeared cheery, adopting the keep calm and carry on approach often associated with the late Queen.

Lord Provost David Cameron was among a group of officials who greeted Camilla on her arrival at the gallery.

The Queen focused on the importance of bringing an end to this “terrible domestic abuse” as she opened the Safe Space.

She said: “I hope a lot of other cities will follow suit.

“It’s so important having a safe space for people who have undergone all these terrible things.

“Somewhere where they come and feel safe and have somebody to talk to who understands what they’re going through, so I think you’re pioneers to have it in this wonderful gallery which I’ve had the pleasure of visiting before and, just to say, it helps so much with this campaign to hopefully one day obliterate this terrible domestic abuse.”

She said she thinks that “Scotland is going the right way about it,” adding: “You just need more people to get involved and more people to be heard because the more it’s talked about the more people are able to do something about it.”

Camilla was introduced to Suzanne Jacob, chief executive of domestic abuse charity SafeLives which is behind the Safe Space initiative, and Aberdeen City Council chief executive Angela Scott.