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Pittsburgh's Action News 4 dug into the archives to find a video of then-Prince Charles visiting the U.S. in 1988.

Part of his visit brought him to Pittsburgh to discuss his thoughts on the future of the shuttered US Steel Homestead Works.

This was the last time the man who is now King Charles III visited the Pittsburgh area.

This is a special section of The Digs featuring images provided by our readers. Read more on how you can submit your old Pittsburgh photos.

The day a prince visited the Mon Valley

By Steve Mellon/Post-Gazette

Nothing was clear when Prince Charles of Great Britain stepped off a sleek twin-engine business jet at Pittsburgh International Airport around 11:20 a.m. Friday, March 4, 1988. Large snowflakes drifted down and settled on Charles’ wavy brown hair. The prince apologized for being late, but the weather was to blame. After a brief ceremony with local dignitaries, he climbed into a chauffeured Rolls Royce and cruised in a multi-car caravan down the Parkway West, enroute to Pittsburgh.

The prince had heard about the spectacular view as his vehicle emerged from the northeast end of the Fort Pitt Tunnel, but a thick fog ruined the experience. It was no better on Mount Washington. Holding a black umbrella to ward off a snow squall, Charles stood on an overlook that offered only a vague outline of Pittsburgh’s skyline.

“You should have been here yesterday,” someone said to him.

Things were similarly murky in the town of Homestead. The bitterly cold wind cut through empty steel sheds where workers once earned enough money to buy homes in the suburbs and send their kids to college. The U.S. Steel Homestead Works, closed two years earlier, loomed over the town like a giant corpse. People still traumatized by the mill’s death wrestled over what to do — try shocking the corpse back to life or haul it away in pieces and encourage new life on the site?

The issue deeply interested Prince Charles. He’d become something of an architectural critic. His concern about the built environment and its impact on individuals and communities lured him to Pittsburgh. Here, he was scheduled to address a gathering of architects, academics and others debating ways in which cities and towns could best respond to the brutal realities of post-industrial life.

Those realities were on stark display in devastated Mon Valley towns like Homestead, Braddock, Duquesne and McKeesport. In the days before the prince’s visit, a group of British and American architects studied those towns and delivered a report suggesting several ideas. A proposal to create a “garden festival” on Homestead’s mill site generated the most talk. “It’s the greening of industrial America,” a British architect declared. Other ideas included turning the Homestead riverbank into an esplanade with docks for yachts and converting the Carrie Blast Furnaces across the Monongahela River into a museum.

The proposals intrigued those who believed the mills were gone for good. Others were aghast. They wanted to reopen parts of the Homestead facility and bring back  jobs.

“We were the steel-making capital of the world, and they were talking about flowers,” one former steel worker said later. “We wanted to get back to steel making.”

In Pittsburgh, the prince’s Rolls Royce motored down from Mount Washington and stopped in front of the swanky Duquesne Club. Inside, dozens of people gathered in a dining room for a special lunch. One was 39-year-old George DeBolt, owner of a Homestead bus company. Noticing a bit of activity near the room’s entrance, he turned and asked, “Hey, excuse me, isn’t that Prince Charles?”

“He just kind of nonchalantly walks in,” DeBolt recalled three decades later. “And then the buzz goes around the room.”

After lunch, one of the prince’s handlers approached DeBolt. “Follow me,” he said.

The man walked DeBolt outside to the prince’s Rolls Royce and directed him to take a seat in the back. Minutes later, Charles exited the club and slid in next to DeBolt, The vehicle drove off, past waving crowds, and soon the royal caravan was headed down the Parkway East.

“So, here I am in the Rolls Royce, with Prince Charles in the backseat with me,” DeBolt said.

He was chosen as a guide because the prince promoted the idea that people who live in communities should decide how those communities develop. DeBolt’s ties to Homestead ran deep — his grandfather was a steelworker caught up in the strike of 1892, and the family’s transportation business dated to the early 1900s.

The caravan exited by the Squirrel Hill Tunnel and drove through Swissvale. On the right, the prince saw an oddly shaped two-story brick building with a sign reading, “Triangle Bar & Grill, Destroyers and Battleships.”

“What are battleships and destroyers?” asked the prince, who had served in the Royal Navy.

DeBolt explained that they were big hoagies.

The caravan rolled on, through Rankin, Braddock, Munhall and Homestead. DeBolt and the prince discussed economic development and the importance of getting individuals involved in the process. Charles wondered why the region’s problems had been ignored for so long.

“I realized this guy was really engaged, was really concerned about these industrial towns. And no one had this impression of him in the United States. He was just this playboy. He was Diana’s husband.”

At one point, the prince asked DeBolt if there was something he should include in his address the next day at the Remaking Cities Conference at the Benedum Center in Downtown. “The Carrie Furnace,” DeBolt replied. Production at the historic blast furnaces had ceased in 1982 and some people were rallying to save what remained of the facility as a museum.

The Rolls Royce stopped at Homestead’s Bishop Boyle Center, where the prince reviewed the report compiled by British and American architects and chatted briefly with five Duquesne High School students who’d come up with a proposal for the mill site. One of those students holds vague memories of the moment.

“We were all pretty nervous to meet the prince,” said Heather Bradford (she was Heather Chepanosky then).

Charles, whom she remembered as polite and soft-spoken, asked if any of the students’ parents had worked in the mills. She told him that her father had been laid off in 1982 from the National Tube Works in McKeesport. He eventually found work as a security guard at Thrift Drugs.

The prince was sympathetic. Finding work in the Mon Valley must be difficult, he said.

Moments later, the royal caravan climbed West Street and headed to Steel Valley High School. A marching band played in the parking lot. Inside the school lobby, kindergartener Laura Greenhow stared up at school administrators, board members and high school students. She was the shortest person in the room.

Laura and a few other grade schoolers from nearby Franklin Elementary School had been chosen to meet the prince. She’d spent the morning obsessing over the new pink-and-white striped dress she wore. A pink bow blossomed from her blonde hair, fashioned in a chin-length bob.

“I was 5 and cold and in a very beautiful dress,” recalled Greenhow, now Laura Bransfield and living in Wilmington, N.C . “It was pretty overwhelming for a 5-year-old.”

She doesn’t recall her interactions with the tall prince. “My mom said she thinks he did shake my hand but I don’t know if I remember that part. He was just kind of walking through the lobby.”

Charles wanted to see the high school’s “Office of the Future,” a computer lab on the second floor where students learned skills they’d need in an economy devoid of steelmaking jobs.

Security was tight. Students and teachers throughout the school were told to stay in their classrooms during the visit. Metal gates blocked access to hallways where the prince walked. Student lockers along his route had been emptied.

Andy Vettel, a teacher in the Office of the Future, lost track of time and wasn’t in place when the prince arrived. To avoid blocked hallways, he hustled up a back stairway and through the school’s library. He emerged from a door near his classroom, alarming tense security personnel. Fellow teacher Maureen Gemeinhart called out to them, “He’s OK, he’s with us.”

“She saved my life,” Vettel later joked.

The two teachers and several students lined up to wait for the prince. They’d been given instructions on how to greet British royalty. “Don’t extend your hand,” they were told. “But you don’t have to bow or curtsy.”

Then the Prince walked down the line of students and teachers and offered his hand. Gemeinhart was last in line.

“I hope this hasn’t been too much trouble,” Charles said to her.

The prince stayed 30 minutes or so, talking with students who showed off their work. He asked one student about her physics class. He told her he never understood physics; she replied she didn’t either. Like so many others, Vettel and Gemeinhart described the prince as gracious and unassuming.

“He’s a guy you’d want to sit down and have a meal and a drink with,” Vettel recalled.

As he exited the classroom, Charles saw a group of students behind steel gates, struggling to catch a glimpse.

“Why are those students walled off?” he asked.

Without waiting for an answer, he walked up to the steel gate and spent a few minutes chatting with the students.

Charles spent the evening at a Downtown hotel. At his speech the next day at the Remaking Cities Conference, he urged attendees to support efforts to involve citizens in the design and development of their communities. As DeBolt had requested, the prince advocated preservation of the Carrie Furnace.

Before leaving, Charles expressed his disappointment at being robbed of the spectacular view of Downtown from the Fort Pitt Tunnel. He had decided, he said, to remedy the situation by leaving the city backward.

“So don’t be alarmed if you see me reversing out of the city,” he said. “It’s not a technical malfunction of a Rolls Royce, but purely my desire to see Pittsburgh properly.”

In the three decades since Charles’ visit, the Homestead mill site has experienced dramatic changes. Where steelworkers once made rails for railroads, armor plate and beams for skyscrapers and bridges, people at The Waterfront play arcade games, order up food items ranging from bagels to sushi, shop for groceries and clothing, attend movies, learn to throw an axe and work in offices. Luxury apartments line the riverfront.

Debolt wishes the site had been used for residential housing, like the Summerset at Frick Park development on the edge of Squirrel Hill. “You would have all these people living in Homestead with a stake in the community,” he said. “That would have been the best.”

The Carrie Furnace received designation as a National Historic Landmark in 2006. Today, it looms over the northeast shore of the Monongahela River as a reminder of the industry that once dominated the region.

When DeBolt was approached about serving as a royal guide in 1988, someone told him that the experience would mark him for life. He’s found that to be true.

“People still say to me, ‘Hey, aren’t you the guy who took the Prince around?’ Now see, that was over 30 years ago. But people still remember that.”

Steve Mellon: smellon@post-gazette.com.

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Steve, a writer and photographer at the Post-Gazette, has lived and worked in Pittsburgh so long that some of his images appear on "The Digs."

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Prince Charles Assesses the Castles of Pittsburgh

By Paul Goldberger, Special To the New York Times

• March 6, 1988

Prince Charles, whose criticisms of postwar British architecture and planning have made him his own country's most celebrated architecture critic, took his crusade to the United States today for the first time and expanded his target accordingly.

Addressing a conference on the regeneration of older cities, jointly sponsored by the American Institute of Architects and the Royal Institute of British Architects, the Prince of Wales told his audience, ''In the United States and the United Kingdom, we have had 40 years of practice at urban design and comprehensive planning and development.''

''The results have been pretty disastrous,'' he added.

Charles's talk, which marked the conclusion of the four-day conference, aligned him firmly with the camp of American architects who have sought to distance themselves from postwar modern architecture, even though his theme today revolved more around urban design and the politics of planning than esthetics.

Nonetheless, he restated the plea for a return to traditional architectural styles that he has issued several times on his own turf. He said, ''If we encourage a renaissance of craftsmanship and the art of embellishing buildings for man's pleasure and for the sheer joy in beauty itself, as opposed to mere functionalism, then we shall have made our cities centers of civilization once again.'' Involving the Average Citizen

Several times, the Prince spoke of the need for average citizens to become involved in the process of planning cities. He hailed a movement that has come to be known in England as ''community architecture,'' which takes as its basic principle the notion that people who use buildings should have a central voice in their design.

''When all is said and done, it seems to be that the most essential feature of this whole debate is how to recreate communities,'' the Prince said. ''It is the anonymity created by postwar urban design which seems to have produced a breakdown in the normal functioning of a community.''

His advisers, who have become accustomed to his outspokenness on issues of architectural esthetics, were said to have been divided over his ringing endorsement of the community architecture movement. It is seen by some architects, particularly in the United States, as a radical, somewhat left-wing challenge to their professional expertise. The Prince was reported to have been asked to endorse participation by citizens in the planning process without mentioning the phrase ''community architecture,'' but he used the phrase firmly and deliberately. Enthusiasm and a Pledge

The reaction to his remarks, however, was enthusiastic, even among members of this country's architectural establishment. The Prince was greeted with a standing ovation at the conclusion of his speech, and none of the other speakers on this morning's program took issue with his theme. The Prince attended much of the program, listening attentively from a chair on the side of the stage as he scrutinized the ornate classical dome of the hall.

Indeed, so eager did the two professional societies that sponsored the conference appear to let it be known that they were the Prince's fellow travelers that the presidents of the American Institute of Architects and the Royal Institute of British Architects issued a joint declaration just before his speech. They pledged their organizations ''to the crusade of citizen architecture and community architecture.''

The tone of the Prince's remarks indicated that he had come to have a deep respect, even a reverence, for the idea of citizen participation in planning and designing cities.

''People don't believe it until they see it for themselves, but I know it works,'' he said. ''The secret is to enthuse people who have become demoralized and, perhaps resigned to the hopelessness of their position, through professional leadership and through helping people themselves to overcome problems. Through confidence comes hope: through hope come new ideas and new economic activity. I have seen it with my own eyes. I have talked to those involved and I have seen the skepticism evaporate when people discover how this approach can work.'' No Pittsburgh 'Carbuncles'

The Prince did not criticize any specific work of architecture or planning today, perhaps out of deference to his American hosts. His speech thus contained no remarks like the one he made in London in 1984, when he began his career as an architecture critic by calling a proposed addition to the National Gallery ''a monstrous carbuncle on the face of a much-loved friend'' Last December he attacked postwar buildings in London by calling the structures around St. Paul's Cathedral ''a jostling scrum of office buildings so mediocre that the way you remember them is by the frustration they induce.''

Prince Charles did not hesitate to speak about Pittsburgh, which he toured Friday. He urged that preserving older buildings, including at least one nonfunctioning steel mill, be a critical part of any plans for the Monongahela Valley, the depressed industrial area outside Pittsburgh whose uncertain future was used as a case study for the conference.

The Prince also toured the valley and expressed his hope that its older industrial buildings could be viewed ''as a real asset which, once restored and converted, can ensure the town or city has a special character of its own. But still planners and developers persis in destroying so much that is of real intrinsic value.''

He seemed impressed with the city itself, however, and expressed regret that the inclement weather that greeted his arrival Friday made it impossible for him to experience Pittsburgh's celebrated entrance properly, He said he had recently read about it: A mountain hides the view of the city on approach, and then the city is revealed suddenly and dramatically after a tunnel through the mountain gives way directly to a bridge. Of Developers and Awareness

''I hope you will understand if I drive out of the city backwards, today, so as to see it properly,'' the Prince said.

His speech, delivered on the stage of Benedum Hall, a former movie palace recently restored and converted into a performing arts center, also contained some remarks about the attitudes of real estate developers today. ''Urban renewal cannot be left entirely to the kind of developer who lacks an awareness of the type of old-fashioned philanthropy that was evident in a city like Pittsburgh'' in previous generations, Prince Charles said.

He acknowledged the controversy his recent speeches on architecture and planning have aroused and expressed some concern about the extent to which press coverage has led to an expectation that he will continue his outspoken ways. ''As a result I am constantly fascinated by what I am going to say next,'' the Prince said.

From the archives: Prince Charles visits Pittsburgh in 1988

This was the last time the man who is now King Charles III visited the Pittsburgh area.

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THE PRINCE'S DIM VIEW

AMID A HEAVY SNOW, CHARLES SURVEYS PITTSBURGH

PITTSBURGH, MARCH 4 -- This self-celebrating city today attempted to shine for the

first-ever visit of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales. But the

weather was sadly uncooperative.

A sudden, blizzardlike snowstorm struck, then abated ever so

slightly as the prince's motorcade rolled onto Grand View Avenue along

the Mount Washington Bridge south of the city's famed Golden Triangle.

Prince Charles gamely disembarked from a silvery Rolls-Royce anyway

and was escorted to an overlook, its normally spectacular view reduced

to a few skyscraper silhouettes, dim beyond romanticism.

Mayor Richard Caliguiri was seen gesturing into near nothingness in

what must have been a frustrating attempt to "point out city landmarks

and explain how the city has developed" -- his task, according to the

official schedule.

Prince Charles is serving as honorary chairman of a week-long

conference, "Remaking the Cities," jointly sponsored by the Royal

Institute of British Architects and the American Institute of

Architects. He will conclude the conference Saturday with an address

that is eagerly anticipated because in previous public statements on

architectural and city planning issues he has vigorously attacked

conventional practices.

One of the chief purposes of the conference,

and of the prince's visit, is to focus attention on the plight of the

"Mon Valley," made up of hill towns lining the winding Monongahela River

southeast of the city. Several of these one-industry towns --

picturesque but economically decimated by the closings of steel mills --

also were on the prince's itinerary today.

Although his view was restricted, to say the least, Prince Charles

was able to accomplish his main goals. In a visit to the Bishop Boyle

Center, in nearby Homestead, he met with Allegheny County commissioners

and was briefed on a voluminous report, "Remaking the Monongahela

This is one of the principal documents of the conference, prepared

by the Regional Urban Design Assistance Team under the sponsorship of

the AIA. It evaluates potential new uses -- tourism, industrial history,

parks, recreational facilities, light industry and conventional

commercial or residential development -- for the vast abandoned steel

mills at Homestead, Duquesne and McKeesport.

And at the aptly named Steel Valley High School in Munhall, he

witnessed a demonstration of the "Office of the Future," a computer

skills program that opened last month. Converting the city and the Mon

Valley sites to high-tech services and production is another of the main

conference themes.

For, although Pittsburgh was chosen as the site for "Remaking the

Cities" because "it is probably the best example on both sides of the

Atlantic of a city that has turned itself around on the basis of local

initiative ... {it is} still confronting major problems," according to

the conference manifesto.

Many in the city and in the Mon Valley towns today were more excited

by the royal presence than by the royal purpose. A few who braved the

storm were rewarded by royal handshakes.

Debbie Schwartz, of Indiana, Pa., was there when the prince crossed

Grand View Avenue. "He said, 'You must be freezing,' " she reported

through chattering teeth. "I stuck my hand out. He shook my hand. His

hand was so warm."

The snow let up in midafternoon just as Prince Charles was

completing his rounds. By dusk skies were clear. The city shone as it

was supposed to. "Light Up Night," when all the lights in all the

skyscrapers downtown are turned on to celebrate a special occasion, went

off without a hitch.

The prince departs Saturday for Palm Beach, Fla., where he will play

a polo match Sunday before returning home Monday.

Prince William forced to cancel royal visit last-minute

The prince of wales has made a last minute decision to cancel a planned royal engagement.

The Prince of Wales has made a last minute decision to cancel a trip which had been planned for May 23 2024. 

The Prince will no longer attend the scheduled engagement following updated guidance from   Buckingham Palace , and in a statement to HELLO!, Kensington Palace said: "We look forward to rescheduling in the future and are extremely sorry to anyone who has already travelled." 

The decision comes after King Charles and Queen Camilla announced a change to their own schedules  as a result of British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak revealing a general election would take place on Thursday July 4, 2024.  

Releasing a statement on Wednesday, the royal couple confirmed all royal engagements "which may appear to divert attention or distract from the election campaign," had been canceled or postponed. Buckingham Palace said the King and Queen sent their "sincere apologies" to those affected. 

The news comes after King Charles met with the PM on Wednesday and agreed with his request to dissolve Parliament.

A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said on Wednesday: "Following the Prime Minister's statement this afternoon calling a General Election, the royal family will, in accordance with normal procedure, postpone engagements that may appear to divert attention or distract from the election campaign. Their Majesties send their sincere apologies to any of those who may be affected as a result." 

The results of the July 4 election will determine if Rishi Sunak's Conservative Party is voted out of government. If so, the King will be set for the third prime minister of his short reign. He welcomed Mr Sunak as his second PM just six weeks after acceding to the throne, following the resignation of Liz Truss.

The royal couple's appearances in Portsmouth and Normandy in June to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day will go ahead as scheduled.

While they are due to join the Ministry of Defence and Royal British Legion's commemorative event at the British Normandy Memorial at Ver-sur-Mer, Prince William is due to mark the poignant anniversary alongside the Canadian government  at Juno Beach Centre. 

He will be joined by Canadian armed forces personnel and World War II veterans. The father-of-three is also expected to attend the international commemorative ceremony at Omaha Beach, and he will be joined by veterans and 25 world heads of state.

School holidays

The Prince of Wales is likely to take a break from royal duties next week and spend the May half-term holiday with Prince George, ten, Princess Charlotte, nine, and six-year-old Prince Louis. 

While Kensington Palace never disclose details of the Wales family's private plans, they often spend the children's school holidays at their Norfolk home, Anmer Hall. 

Upon his return to work after the half-term break, William will take part in D-Day commemorations at the beginning of June. 

It's also been widely reported that William will be an usher at the Duke of Westminster's wedding to Olivia Henson at Chester Cathedral on 7 June. Hugh Grosvenor, 7th Duke of Westminster is godfather to the Wales's son, Prince George, and Prince Harry and Meghan's son, Prince Archie. 

The Princess of Wales, who is receiving preventative chemotherapy following a cancer diagnosis, is not expected to attend. 

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'You continue to make history': Prince Charles leads tributes to queen at jubilee concert

LONDON — Prince Charles led the tributes to his mother at a Platinum Jubilee concert outside Buckingham Palace Saturday.

On the third day of events to mark Queen Elizabeth II's 70th year on the throne, Charles told the crowd of thousands that she had “been with us in our difficult times. And you bring us together to celebrate moments of pride, joy and happiness.”

The queen, 96, did not attend the concert and has not made any public appearances since Thursday when she was seen on the balcony of Buckingham Palace with other members of the royal family. She did not attend a thanksgiving service at London’s St. Paul’s Cathedral on Friday because of mobility issues.

Charles told the crowd he “wanted to pay my own tribute to your lifetime of selfless service.”

He said she pledged to serve her whole life and continued to deliver. "That is why we are here. That is what we celebrate tonight,” he said.

As he spoke, photos of the queen over the years were projected onto the facade of Buckingham Palace. Handpicked by the prince, they showed historic moments during the queen's reign, including her coronation and a meeting with the late South African human rights leader Nelson Mandela.

“We think of all you have done to make the Commonwealth such an important force for good. You continue to make history,” Charles said.

Referring to his father, Prince Philip , who died in April 2021, Charles said he was “much missed,” but he was “sure he is here in spirit.”

Diana Ross, Elton John and Duran Duran were among those who performed at the concert.

At Cardiff Castle in Wales, Prince William also paid tribute to his grandmother.

Elsewhere in the U.K., Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex , privately celebrated the first birthday of their daughter, Lilibet.

The queen and other royals wished her a happy birthday on their official Twitter accounts.

The couple made their first public appearance of the jubilee at the thanksgiving service after traveling to the U.K. from their California home.

Rhoda Kwan is a Taipei-based journalist.

Watch CBS News

Charles And Camilla Do Philly

January 27, 2007 / 2:46 PM EST / CBS News

Prince Harry 'Has Deeper-Rooted Problems' With King Charles After 'Turning Down' Invitation to Stay at a Royal Residence

Prince Harry reportedly turned down King Charles' invitation to stay at a royal residence , and royal experts think the rumored decision is indicative of the Duke of Sussex's stance with his father.

"He could have stayed at St James' Palace, a stone’s throw away from Clarence House , where the King is usually based," Helena Chard told an outlet. "Harry turned down staying in a palace, where he would have received armed security protection from the SO14 Royalty Protection Group. He chose to stay at a hotel in Mayfair without this protection."

"Not only would he have received armed security protection, there is a far higher chance that he would have seen his father," she noted.

Harry's decision to stay at a hotel in London could mean they might not be able to work through their issues going forward.

"It worries me that Prince Harry has deeper-rooted problems, most likely related to his mother, as I feel his behavior is beyond strange ," Chard added. "I am, however, aware that his behavior keeps the victim narrative alive, a narrative which maybe he feels serves a purpose at this time."

Before he landed back home, a rep for Harry confirmed he wouldn't reunite with Charles.

"In response to the many inquiries and continued speculation on whether or not the Duke will meet with his father while in the U.K. this week, it unfortunately will not be possible due to His Majesty's full program," the spokesperson said. "The Duke, of course, is understanding of his father's diary of commitments and various other priorities and hopes to see him soon."

Despite the ongoing claims about Harry preferring not to stay on royal grounds, biographer Christopher Andersen pointed out that the accusation has yet to be confirmed.

"There is no evidence that the king offered to put Harry up at Windsor, much less that Harry ‘turned down’ an invitation to meet his father," Andersen stated.

"Yes, Harry is still battling for royal protection when he is traveling in the U.K., but that hardly means he doesn't want to check in on his cancer-stricken father," he explained. "Harry would have jumped at the chance, royal protection or no, to meet with the king, even if only for another ridiculously short 45-minute session."

"That seems to be all that the king has ever been willing to set aside for Harry under the best of circumstances," the author added.

American royal commentator Kinsey Schofield pointed out that Harry's announcemen t about seeing Charles garnered a significant amount of attention.

"If it is true that Prince Harry turned down a meeting with his father but went to great lengths to publicly blame his father’s schedule for the missed opportunity, then Prince Harry appears dishonest and mean-spirited," Schofield stated.

"He knows that type of statement would reflect poorly on his cancer-stricken father. It generated so many headlines and hours-long commentary about the moral compass of his family," she noted. "It is an example of either Harry and Meghan not thinking about the consequences or the Sussexes continuing to try to hurt the royal family’s brand."

Experts spoke to Fox News Digital .

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King Charles and Prince William Planning First Overseas Trip Since Cancer Treatments

By Eve Batey

In his first overseas trip since his February announcement that he was undergoing cancer treatments, King Charles III will travel to France to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day, as will Prince William and Queen Camilla .

Charles has long been a fixture at the June 6 events in Normandy and the UK, which annually mark the coordinated air and sea landings that led to the liberation of France and the eventual end of World War II. It was unclear if he'd be participating in person this year, given his recent diagnosis and a subsequent pause in royal duties.

Britain's then-Prince Charles, Prince of Wales (L), reacts as he sits with his mother, Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, during an event to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings, in Portsmouth, southern England, on June 5, 2019. (Photo by Chris Jackson/POOL/AFP)

Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles, Prince of Wales and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, attend a service at Bayeux Cemetary during D-Day 70 Commemorations on June 6, 2014 in Bayeux, France. (Photo by Samir Hussein/WireImage)

That pause ended last month , when King Charles and Queen Camilla visited the Macmillan Cancer Centre at University College Hospital to meet with patients and staff. On Friday, Buckingham Palace announced that his schedule would gear up in June, with a series of events to mark what remains the largest seaborne invasion in history.

The commemorations begin on June 5, when Charles, Camilla, and Prince William will attend a ceremony at Southsea Common in the English city of Portsmouth, one of the primary starting points for D-Day troops in 1944. According to the BBC , that event will include “light displays, readings and music.”

From there, Charles and Camilla will travel to France, where they will visit the British Normandy Memorial at Ver-sur-Mer on June 6, Sky News reports . Along with officials from the Ministry of Defence and Royal British Legion, 23 surviving D-Day veterans are expected to attend.

By Hillary Busis

Prince William and Kate Middleton in Arromanches-les-Bains, on June 6, 2014

Meanwhile, William will travel to Juno Beach Centre in Courseulles-sur-Mer, for a commemoration of the Canadian troops' contribution to the effort. After that, he'll make the trip to Omaha Beach, Saint Laurent sur Mer to stand in for his father at the annual international commemorative ceremony, where he'll be joined by “25 heads of state and veterans from around the world.”

In years past, William has been joined by wife Kate Middleton , but she won't be in attendance this year, the AP reports . Similar to Charles, Middleton is recovering from treatments related to a cancer discovery announced in March .

Following that announcement, William also stopped back from public events, instead spending private time with his family. Earlier this month, it was reported that William is “digging deep” to support his father and wife during their respective illnesses, with a royal source saying that “William is prioritizing giving her all the time she needs to get better." He resumed his schedule of public engagements in late April , saying then that his wife and children are “all doing well, thank you.”

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The life and times of prince charles.

Both scandal-torn and devoted to environmental matters, Prince Charles was born to be Great Britain's king. Take a look back at his life and career.

Traveling in India

He’s weathered scandals and fought for the environment, but above all else, Prince Charles was born to be Great Britain's king. Take a look back at his life and career. Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, pose outside the Akshardham Temple in Delhi during an official visit to India on Nov. 8, 2013. It’s the royal couple’s third official visit to India together and their most extensive yet.

‘The forgotten prince’

The Nov. 4, 2013 edition of Time magazine featured Prince Charles — the heir apparent of Queen Elizabeth II — with the headline, “The forgotten prince: Inside Charles’ world as he quietly takes over.” Charles, who backs a host of charitable and environmental causes, told the magazine he feels it is his "duty to worry about everybody and their lives in this country, to try to find a way of improving things if I possibly can."

Gift for his new grandson

Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales, holds a tiny T-shirt during a visit to the Whitstable Oyster Festival in Whitstable, Kent, England on July 29, 2013.

A king-in-waiting

Prince Charles, who turned 65 on Nov. 14, 2013, is the longest-serving heir apparent in Britain’s history. Here, he sits beside his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, as she reads the Queen’s Speech in the House of Lords during the State Opening of Parliament in London on May 8, 2013.

Taking a spin

The Prince of Wales, an avid environmentalist, rides an electric eco-bike at the Earth Awards Exhibition at Clarence House in London, England on July 27, 2011.

A special visitor

Prince Charles receives His Holiness the Dalai Lama at Clarence House in London on June 20, 2012. The exiled spiritual leader of Tibet was taking part in a weeklong tour of the United Kingdom.

Royal wedding bells

Prince Charles makes the journey by carriage procession to Buckingham Palace following the marriage of his son, Prince William, to Kate Middleton on April 29, 2011 at Westminster Abbey in London, England. The marriage of the second in line to the British throne was attended by 1,900 guests, including royalty from other countries and heads of state.

Happy Christmas!

In this photo provided by Clarence House in December 2010, Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall pose for their official Christmas card at the Balmoral Estate in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.

Groovin'

Prince Charles dances with villagers near Jodhpur in India's state of Rajasthan on Oct. 5, 2010.

A salute of gratitude

Britain's Prince William, left, and Prince Charles salute a guard of Royal Air Force airmen after a thanksgiving service for the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Britain at Westminster Abbey in London on Sept. 19, 2010. Prince William graduated as an RAF search and rescue helicopter pilot earlier that same month.

Don't fence me in

Charles visits a Polish bison reserve on March 16, 2010, during a three-day trip as part of a tour of Eastern Europe. As his mother, born in 1926, reduces her public duties, Charles is expected to increase his role in representing the royal family.

He's in the army now

Charles sits for a group picture after presenting campaign medals to soldiers from the Black Watch on Jan. 20, 2010, in Fort George, Scotland. The regiment lost five soldiers during its seven-month tour of Afghanistan.

Birthday portrait

This official portrait was released in November 2008 to mark Prince Charles’ 60th birthday on Nov. 14.

Wedding album

The official wedding photo shows Charles and Camilla with their families at Windsor Castle. Left to right, back row: Prince Harry, Prince William, Tom and Laura Parker Bowles. Left to right, front row: Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth II and Camilla's father, Major Bruce Shand.

A wedding blessed

Because they were both divorced, Charles and Camilla were married in a civil ceremony on April 9, 2005. Immediately following the marriage, their union was blessed at St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle, where this photo was taken.

What the papers said

Photographs of Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles dominate the front pages of British daily newspapers following the announcement of their engagement on Feb. 10, 2005.

Your skirt looks nice

After the deaths of Diana and the Queen Mother, Charles' longtime love, Camilla Parker Bowles, came more into the spotlight and eventually moved into Charles' household in 2003. Here, the couple are pictured at a highland games event in Scotland in August 2004.

Farewell to a beloved grandmother

Prince Charles stands vigil beside the coffin of his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth (who was usually known as the Queen Mother) as it lies in state in London on April 8, 2002. Charles was particularly close to his grandmother, known for her sunny disposition as well as her defiance of the Germans during World War II. She was 101 when she died.

Saying goodbye

On Aug. 31,1997, Diana was killed in a high-speed car accident in a road tunnel in Paris, France, along with companion Dodi Al-Fayed and their driver. Here, Diana's brother, Charles, her sons and her former husband stand as her coffin is paraded through the streets of London. An estimated 2.5 billion people watched the funeral on TV, making it the most watched event in history.

Putting on a brave face

Princes Harry and William stand between their father and mother as they attend a parade in London in August 1995. By this time, the couple had been estranged for almost a decade, the prince living mostly at Highgrove and the princess at Kensington Palace. They were divorced a year later.

One-handed golf on horseback

An accomplished polo aficionado, Charles played the game as often as his royal duties allowed. Here, he is seen in action as a member of the Diables Blues team at Cowdray Park in Sussex, England, in August 1985.

Gondola ride

Princess Diana and Prince Charles ride in a gondola during a visit to Venice in April 1985. The princess is wearing a green and black check suit and matching hat by the Emanuels.

In September 1984, Prince William was joined by a brother, Prince Harry. The siblings were known, cheekily, as "the heir and the spare." Here, Charles and Harry walk in the grounds of Highgrove House, the prince's country home in Gloucestershire.

Billy the kid

Charles and William at Kensington Palace, London in December 1982. Kensington Palace was the residence granted to him by Queen Elizabeth II, who lived at nearby Buckingham Palace.

And baby makes three

The Prince and Princess of Wales great well-wishers and the press on the steps of St Mary's Hospital, London, as they introduce their newborn son, William, who was born on June 21, 1982. Charles was reported to be the first father in the British royal family to be present at his children's births.

The honeymooners

No Caribbean beach for Charles and Diana's honeymoon; instead, it took place at Balmoral, the royal family's home in the Scottish highlands. Here, the couple relax on the banks of the River Dee, which flows through the 50,000-acre Balmoral estate.

Sealed with a kiss

On July 29, 1981, Charles and Diana were married in a glittering ceremony at London's St. Paul's Cathedral, an event watched on TV by about a billion people. Here, the prince and his new princess kiss on the balcony of Buckingham Palace. Charles' mother stands at right.

Happy couple

Charles and Diana pose for the cameras outside Buckingham Palace after announcing their engagement in February 1981. Charles looks taller than his fiancée in this picture, but that's because he's standing on a higher step -- he was actually half an inch shorter than his future wife.

Past girlfriend, future wife

In the summer of 1980, Prince Charles began a relationship with Lady Diana Spencer, seen at right with Camilla Parker Bowles, with whom Charles had stayed in touch. Charles and Diana became engaged in February 1981.

Mourning a mentor

Charles and his father, Prince Philip, attend the funeral of Earl Louis Mountbatten, an uncle and mentor who was assassinated by the Irish Republican Army in 1979.

It's a hat, not a wig

The prince wears a bearskin hat in his role as Colonel in Chief of the Welsh Guards during a July 1975 Trooping Of The Colour ceremony at Horse Guards Parade in London.

The love that never died

Around 1970, Charles met Camilla Shand, a relationship that was seen as an unsuitable match by palace staffers and other members of the royal family. (They are pictured at a polo match during this period.) Shand went on to marry Andrew Parker Bowles and Charles eventually married Diana Spencer. However, Parker Bowles and the prince stayed in touch, eventually resuming their romantic relationship.

Now it's official

Queen Elizabeth II places the coronet of The Prince of Wales on her son's head during his July 1969 investiture ceremony at a castle in Wales.

Media spotlight

With increased responsibilities, Charles was thrust further into the media spotlight. Here, he sits down for a June 1969 interview with British television presenter David Frost for, "A Prince For Wales," a documentary anticipating his investiture as the Prince of Wales.

Serious side

As he approached his 21st birthday, Charles took on an increasing number of official duties. Here, he visits the Tilbury Docks, a run-down area in East London that was undergoing restoration, in August 1968.

Feather in his cap

As heir to the British throne, Charles was showered with a string of titles and honors, including being named the Prince of Wales at age 9. Here, he is seen in June 1968 after being installed as a Knight of the Most Noble Order of the Garter in a ceremony at Windsor Castle.

Sweet on polo

Prince Charles stands behind a horse during a 1966 polo match in Jamaica. He was to play competitively until 1992, when a series of injuries forced his retirement. He continued to participate in charity games until 2005.

Vroom, vroom!

In 1965, Prince Charles gained another sibling, Prince Andrew. Here, the pair are seen with Princess Anne as they try out motorized go-karts.

Oh boy, more horses

In 1960, Charles took part in other equestrian events, including foxhunting and was a frequent attendee at horse events. Here, he strides down the sidelines at the at the Badminton Horse Trials, a premier event held at the Duke of Beaufort's Gloucestershire estate.

Polo, here we come

In 1952, Charles' mother became Queen Elizabeth II. Here, she is seen, right, with the prince and Countess Edwina Mountbatten as they arrive at a polo match in Malta. Charles was to become an accomplished polo player later in life.

A sister for Charles

Elizabeth stands with her husband, Prince Philip, and their children Prince Charles and Princess Anne at Clarence House, the royal couple's London residence, in this August 1951 photo. Anne had been born a year earlier.

Queen's first-born

Prince Charles was born at Buckingham Palace, the London home of Britain's kings and queens, on Nov. 14, 1948. Here, the future Queen Elizabeth II holds the young prince after his Dec. 15 christening ceremony at the palace's music room, where he was baptized using water from the River Jordan.

Open 365 days a year, Mount Vernon is located just 15 miles south of Washington DC.

From the mansion to lush gardens and grounds, intriguing museum galleries, immersive programs, and the distillery and gristmill. Spend the day with us!

Discover what made Washington "first in war, first in peace and first in the hearts of his countrymen".

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The Washington Library is open to all researchers and scholars, by appointment only.

The Prince Charles Tour

You, too, can follow the route that prince charles experienced.

On March 18, 2015, His Royal Highness Charles, the Prince of Wales, and Her Royal Highness Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, visited George Washington’s Mount Vernon as part of their visit to the Washington, D.C. area.

During their stay, Their Royal Highnesses explored the heart of Mount Vernon. With this tour, you can follow in their footsteps.

Stop One: The North Lane

Exiting from their motorcade and walking towards the Mansion, their Royal Highnesses traveled down the North Lane and viewed Mount Vernon’s original outbuildings. Along this path, the royal couple passed the blacksmith shop, spinning room, the overseer’s cottage, and other interesting structures that you can visit today.

• See the Blacksmith Shop
• See the working loom in the spinning room

Stop Two: The Mansion

Following the North Lane, the royal couple proceeded into the Mansion for an in-depth tour of George and Martha Washington’s home. Mount Vernon first welcomed Prince Charles in 1970 . During this most recent visit, he viewed the many painstakingly researched improvements that have been made to the estate over the years, including the recent restoration of the Mansion’s New Room. The Prince even managed to head up into the famous cupola atop the Mansion.

• See the Mansion Room by Room
• Take a Virtual Tour
• Learn about the New Room Restoration

Stop Three: The East Lawn

From the east end of the New Room, the royal couple walked along the iconic Piazza and then out onto the east lawn for a breathtaking view of the Potomac River. For decades, the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association has been active in preserving the far shore of the Potomac to ensure that the impressive view George Washington enjoyed will remain just as pristine.

• Saving Washington's View
• Preservation at Mount Vernon

"You know what was nice...going back to Mount Vernon. It was fantastic...it is special that spot..."  

 - Prince Charles to President Obama

Stop Four: The Kitchen

After completing their Mansion tour, Their Royal Highnesses visited Mount Vernon’s kitchen. George Washington once referred to Mount Vernon as a “well resorted tavern,” due to its constant stream of house guests and reputation for hospitality. Martha Washington oversaw the production of each meal, and this kitchen was the staging place for delicious dinners prepared with foodstuffs from Washington’s gardens, fields, and pastures. Washington’s kitchen includes three workrooms on the first floor and a loft above, which served as the residence of the cook or housekeeper.

• Learn more about the Kitchen
• See recipes from Washington's time

Stop Five: The Lower Garden

From the kitchen, the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall followed the serpentine path to the lower garden. An avid proponent of sustainable living, the Prince of Wales learned that the lower garden, one of two gardens flanking the grassy Bowling Green, has been continuously cultivated for more than 250 years. The garden features a number of beautiful vegetable beds, terraced plots, espaliered pears and apples, and brick walls designed to block the wind. The produce grown at Mount Vernon is not only used at the Mount Vernon Inn, but donated to local food pantries.

• Video: Dean Norton on the Lower Garden
• See the Gardens of Mount Vernon

Stop Six: The Sheep Paddock

Throughout his life, Prince Charles has advocated for the preservation of heritage breeds in the United Kingdom. At Mount Vernon, we too are active in protecting historic breeds familiar to George Washington. At our sheep paddock, Their Royal Highnesses viewed our Hog Island sheep and new spring lambs. Due to the critically low numbers of this particular breed, Mount Vernon has championed their conservation. As a result, our award-winning breeding program has produced a flock of more than 70 sheep.

• Sheep at Mount Vernon
• Animals of Mount Vernon

Stop Seven: The Tomb of Washington

George Washington died in his bedchamber at Mount Vernon on December 14, 1799. His last will outlined his desire to be buried at home at Mount Vernon. The new Tomb was completed in 1831, and the bodies of George and Martha Washington, along with other family members in the Old Tomb, were relocated here. 

British royalty has had a long tradition of visiting the Tomb of George and Martha Washington. Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, son of Queen Victoria, visited the Tomb in 1860 with President James Buchanan. The future King Edward VIII in 1919 and King George VI in 1939 also laid wreaths at the Tomb.

• Learn about previous Royal Visits
• Visit Washington's Tomb

Arrival at the Tomb

Receiving the Wreath

Placing the Wreath

Paying Respects at the Tomb

At George Washington's Tomb

At the Tomb

The Prince looks at a tree planted by one of his ancestors.

Meeting Don Francisco

Stop Eight: The Wharf

The majestic Potomac River was a vital part of the estate. Not only did George Washington ship and receive essential goods to and from Mount Vernon, his fisheries caught an enormous amount of herring and shad that not only fed the estate’s large enslaved population but were also sold as an export.

In 1991, Prince Charles’s mother Queen Elizabeth II dedicated the newly restored Mount Vernon wharf.

• Travel to Mount Vernon from Alexandria or DC by boat

Stop Nine: The Farm

George Washington studied and implemented innovative farming methods throughout his life. In fact, Washington would have called himself a farmer before any other title. At our four-acre Farm, one can learn more about George Washington’s role as a visionary farmer. The farm also offers visitors a chance to learn more about the lives of more than one hundred enslaved field workers who put Washington’s advanced agrarian concepts into practice. 

• Visit the Farm
• Learn About Washington the Farmer

Candle Making Demonstration

Walking Towards the Barn

Touching the Oxen Horn

With the Oxen

VIDEO: Plowing the Farm

Stop Ten: The 16-Sided Treading Barn

The last stop on the Prince’s tour was a visit to the 16-sided treading barn. This recreation of Washington’s state-of-the-art wheat treading barn included a demonstration of how horses, running within the circular structure, were used to separate the wheat from the chaff. The barn includes a treading floor located on the second floor of a two-story structure that the horses could access via an earthen ramp.

• Learn more about Washington's invention, the 16-Sided Barn

Walking up the Ramp

Looking into the Barn

Watching the Treading

The 16-Sided Barn

The Horses Run

VIDEO: Wheat Treading at the 16-Sided Barn

Treading Wheat

Meeting the Horses

Wheat Falling to the Lower Level

Visiting the Lower Level

Prince Charles Meets President Obama (AP)

The Prince highlights his visit to Mount Vernon with the President

Plan Your Visit

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King Charles Announces First Overseas Trip Since Revealing Cancer Diagnosis — Find Out Where He's Heading

The monarch will travel to mark the 80th anniversary of the D-Day Landings next month

Stephanie Petit is a Royals Editor, Writer and Reporter at PEOPLE.

Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images

King Charles is gearing up for another return to normalcy amid his  cancer treatment .

The British monarch, 75, will travel to Normandy, France, on June 6 with Queen Camilla  for the Ministry of Defence and the Royal British Legion’s commemorative event at the British Normandy Memorial on the 80 th  anniversary of D-Day.

The trip will mark the King's first time heading abroad since revealing his cancer diagnosis on Feb. 5. After publicly sharing his health news, King Charles stepped back from public-facing royal duties for several months as he underwent treatment but continued to work behind the scenes and hold small audiences. He was also spotted attending church on many weekends and even greeted well-wishers  after attending a mass on Easter Sunday.

The sovereign officially returned to outings on April 30, when he and Queen Camilla visited a cancer hospital in London . His wife, 76, commented the following day that King Charles was "really thrilled to be out."

Samir Hussein/WireImage

In recent weeks, the King has kept a busy schedule as he continues his treatment, from a solo outing meeting staff and families of the Royal School of Military Engineering to appointing his heir  Prince William  to a military position.

Queen Camilla gave a quick update on her husband's health during a garden party on May 16, telling guests the King was "getting better," before adding, "Well, he would if he behaved himself,"  according to royal reporter Roya Nikkhah .

Although she didn't elaborate, Queen Camilla and other royal family members previously commented that King Charles was disappointed to slow down on duties amid his cancer treatment. The monarch's nephew  Peter Phillips  said on  Sky News Australia 's  The   Royal Report  in March that King Charles was " frustrated that he can't get on  and do everything that he wants to be able to do."

“He is always pushing, his staff and everybody and his doctors and nurses to be able to say, 'Actually, can I do this? Can I do that?' " Peter said of his uncle. “So the overriding message would be that he's obviously very keen to get back to a form of normality."

A  royal source told PEOPLE  in March, "One thing that has been wholly undiminished is his appetite for work."

Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty

Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage?  Sign up for our free Royals newsletter  to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more!

The palace announced on May 17 that the British royal family will make a series of outings related to the D-Day anniversary. On June 5, King Charles and Queen Camilla will be joined by Prince William at the U.K.'s national commemorative event in Portsmouth.

The Prince of Wales, 41, will also step out on June 6 for two events: the Canadian commemorative ceremony at the Juno Beach Centre, Courseulles-sur-Mer, hosted by the Government of Canada, and the international commemorative ceremony at Omaha Beach, Saint Laurent sur Mer, joining over 25 heads of state and veterans from around the world in marking the historic anniversary.

Princess Anne, Prince Edward and Sophie the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester are also scheduled to attend related events over the two days.

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