King Charles Returns to London Ahead of Surgery for Enlarged Prostate

The monarch was staying over 100 miles away in Sandringham as news of his upcoming procedure was revealed

• King Charles was photographed back in London on Thursday ahead of his procedure to treat an enlarged prostate.

• The monarch is expected to postpone public engagements for a short time following the surgery.

• The news of the procedure was announced on the same day that the palace revealed Kate Middleton had a "planned abdominal surgery" that will keep her hospitalized for up to two weeks.

King Charles is back in London.

The monarch, 75, traveled over 100 miles from the royal residence at Sandringham back to London on Thursday ahead of his surgery for an enlarged prostate scheduled for this week. Photos published by The Sun showed that King Charles arrived by helicopter before being driven to Buckingham Palace.

Royal reporter Rebecca English said on X that the royal standard was raised at Buckingham Palace, the flag that signifies that the monarch is in residence. However, King Charles normally stays nearby at Clarence House, where he has lived with Queen Camilla for two decades. (There are no imminent plans for the royal couple to move into Buckingham Palace, despite the famous building serving as the official London residence of British monarchs since 1837, which may be in part due to extensive renovations taking place.)

Buckingham Palace announced on Jan. 17 that King Charles would head to the hospital for a “corrective procedure” to treat the benign condition.

Related: Why King Charles Disclosed His Diagnosis While Kate Middleton Chose to Keep Hers Private (Exclusive)

“In common with thousands of men each year, The King has sought treatment for an enlarged prostate. His Majesty's condition is benign and he will attend hospital next week for a corrective procedure,” the statement said. “The King’s public engagements will be postponed for a short period of recuperation.”

A royal source told PEOPLE that the King would be capable of fulfilling his constitutional requirements and duties during this time. It's understood that the King wanted to share his diagnosis to encourage men who may be experiencing symptoms to get checked.

King Charles was seen driving to the royal family's Sandringham estate in Norfolk with Queen Camilla on Jan. 19, and the couple attended church on the Sunday before the palace announcement.

The day after Buckingham Palace announced that the King was seeking treatment for an enlarged prostate, Queen Camilla briefly spoke about her husband’s health during a stop in Aberdeen, Scotland.

“How is His Majesty?" Lord Lieutenant of Aberdeen Dr. David Cameron asked the Queen, 76, at the Aberdeen Art Gallery on Jan. 18.

"He's fine, thank you very much. Looking forward to getting back to work," she replied.

The same day that King Charles' procedure was announced, Kensington Palace revealed that Kate Middleton had undergone a “planned abdominal surgery" that would require a hospital stay of up to two weeks followed by several months of further recovery at home.

Princess Kate's health news was only revealed after her surgery took place and details were kept private. The Princess of Wales, 42, chose discretion, expressing a "desire to maintain as much normality" as possible for her young children Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 8, and Prince Louis, 5, according to her office.

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Related: King Charles Seen for the First Time Since Announcing His Upcoming Surgery

However, King Charles' announcement came ahead of his planned procedure and addressed the issue head-on.

“It was sensible to be more open about it, as otherwise, people might have thought the worst,” a palace insider tells PEOPLE exclusively in this week’s issue.

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