King Charles Is Back to Work After His Health Scare—and He’s Copying His Mother Queen Elizabeth

After a weekend spent resting at Highgrove, his Gloucestershire estate-turned-retreat, King Charles returned to work today following his brief hospitalization last Thursday—and it was to carry out a beloved royal tradition.

The monarch was on hand at Windsor Castle for an investiture ceremony honoring members of the community across the U.K. It was his first official appearance after being treated at the London Clinic for side effects related to his ongoing cancer treatment on March 27. While he was forced to reschedule his Thursday afternoon and Friday engagements last week as a precaution, one thing is clear from the photos from today’s event: Charles, like his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, was eager to get back to work.

In fact, the pics show the king looking downright gleeful as he bestows a CBE on Alan Titchmarsh for services to horticulture and to charity. Given the unexpected turn his weekend took, health-wise, it makes sense that he’s thrilled to return to business as usual. It’s also reminiscent of the late queen and her preference to keep calm and carry on. She famously remarked in a speech made on her 21st birthday (and just shy of her accession to the throne in 1952) that her “whole life whether it be long or short shall be devoted to your service”—and it became her guiding light. Charles, of course, was only recently named king, but he, too, subscribes to a similar work ethic.