King Charles III made an unannounced appearance at the Sandringham parkrun on Saturday morning, greeting runners and walkers as they completed their first lap of the weekly 5-kilometre event on the royal estate in Norfolk.
The visit, which came days before World Cancer Day on February 4, marked the second year in a row that the King has surprised participants at the event. He attended as a spectator, offering encouragement alongside Move Against Cancer ambassador Sarah Byatt.
The Sandringham parkrun takes place every Saturday and follows a two-lap course through the Royal Park. Once a month, on the last Saturday, it is organised in partnership with Move Against Cancer’s 5K Your Way initiative, which supports people living with and beyond cancer, as well as their families, friends, and healthcare workers.
Organisers said runners were taken aback by the King’s appearance.
“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,” organisers wrote in a statement shared on Facebook. They added that many participants stopped to chat and share their stories as they moved around 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 the wider raising of the profile of cancer cannot be understated,” the post said. “A memory that will live long into the future.”
The King has been receiving cancer treatment as an outpatient since early February 2024. In a video message released in December, he said his treatment would be reduced in the new year, describing the update as “good news” and crediting early diagnosis, effective care, and following doctors’ advice.
The Move Against Cancer charity was founded in 2016 by Gemma Hillier Moses after she was diagnosed with cancer at age 24. In 2018, she helped launch the 5K Your Way initiative alongside Dr. Lucy Gossage, an oncologist and former professional triathlete. Both women are well known in endurance sport circles. Gossage won the Montane Winter Spine Race, a 268-mile ultramarathon along the Pennine Way, in 2025. Hillier Moses won the Arc of Attrition 50-mile race in Cornwall just last weekend.
Parkrun itself began in 2004 and has grown into a global movement. Around 400,000 people now take part each week across more than 20 countries, participating in free, timed 5-kilometre runs or walks in local parks.
At Sandringham on Saturday, runners waved as the King stood trackside, returning greetings and cheering them on. For many in attendance, especially those connected to the cancer community, the unexpected show of support was deeply felt.
