King Charles Hands Military Title to Son William in Rare Joint Appearance

 Britain's King Charles III officially hands over the role of Colonel-in-Chief of the Army Air Corps to Prince William, The Prince of Wales in front of an Apache helicopter at the Army Aviation Center in Middle Wallop, England, Monday, May 13, 2024. (AP)
Britain's King Charles III officially hands over the role of Colonel-in-Chief of the Army Air Corps to Prince William, The Prince of Wales in front of an Apache helicopter at the Army Aviation Center in Middle Wallop, England, Monday, May 13, 2024. (AP)
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King Charles Hands Military Title to Son William in Rare Joint Appearance

 Britain's King Charles III officially hands over the role of Colonel-in-Chief of the Army Air Corps to Prince William, The Prince of Wales in front of an Apache helicopter at the Army Aviation Center in Middle Wallop, England, Monday, May 13, 2024. (AP)
Britain's King Charles III officially hands over the role of Colonel-in-Chief of the Army Air Corps to Prince William, The Prince of Wales in front of an Apache helicopter at the Army Aviation Center in Middle Wallop, England, Monday, May 13, 2024. (AP)

Britain's King Charles handed over a senior military role to his son Prince William at a ceremony on Monday, marking a rare joint appearance for the pair as the king steps up his return to public duties after his cancer diagnosis.

Charles presented William with the title of Colonel-in-Chief of the Army Air Corps, a position the 75-year-old monarch held for 32 years, in front of an Apache helicopter, and watched by service personnel at the Army Flying Museum in southern England.

"He's a very good pilot indeed," Charles said of his son, a former helicopter search and rescue pilot for Britain's Royal Air Force.

The visit was Charles' latest engagement since he returned to work at the end of April, almost three months after Buckingham Palace announced he was being treated for an unspecified type of cancer.

William, 41, had also taken a break from official duties for several weeks in March and April this year, choosing to spend time with and care for his wife after she revealed she was undergoing preventative chemotherapy for cancer.

He said on Friday she was "doing well".

At the handover ceremony, Charles said he was saying goodbye with "sadness", but the Army Air Corps would go from "strength to strength" under his son.

"Look after yourselves and I can't tell you how proud it has made me to have been involved with you all this time," Charles said.

The title transfer was announced last August after Charles' accession to the throne. William spent time with the Corps, viewing training, equipment and hearing from soldiers later on Monday.



KFSHRC Performs World's First Robotic-Assisted Artificial Heart Pump Implantation

The surgery was performed on a 35-year-old man who had been hospitalized for 120 days  - SPA
The surgery was performed on a 35-year-old man who had been hospitalized for 120 days - SPA
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KFSHRC Performs World's First Robotic-Assisted Artificial Heart Pump Implantation

The surgery was performed on a 35-year-old man who had been hospitalized for 120 days  - SPA
The surgery was performed on a 35-year-old man who had been hospitalized for 120 days - SPA

King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center (KFSHRC) in Riyadh has successfully performed the world’s first robotic-assisted implantation of an artificial heart pump (HeartMate 3) developed by Abbott, a groundbreaking procedure that marks a significant advancement in medical technology and patient care, SPA reported.
The surgery was performed on a 35-year-old man who had been hospitalized for 120 days due to advanced heart failure, which had also led to kidney and lung function deterioration. Thanks to this innovative surgical procedure, the patient is now on track to fulfill his dream of returning home to his family.
The procedure was led by Dr. Feras Khaliel, head of cardiac surgery and director of the hospital’s Robotics and Minimally Invasive Surgery Program. The patient spent only four days in the intensive care unit, a stark contrast to the 26-day average for similar procedures performed with traditional surgical methods. Recovery time is also expected to be significantly reduced, with discharge anticipated within 10 days instead of the usual 63 days required for conventional interventions.
Dr. Khaliel emphasized the precision and safety of robotic-assisted surgery, noting that the patient experienced no infections or bleeding during or after the operation. "The patient was amazed at the minimal scarring, reflecting the advanced capabilities of robotic technology," he said.
This success builds on KFSHRC’s legacy of global achievements, including the world’s first fully robotic heart transplant and robotic liver transplantation. These milestones underscore KFSHRC’s commitment to pioneering innovation and further cement its status as a global leader in specialized healthcare.