LONDN - Britain's head of state King Charles III turns 76 on Thursday, still in the grip of cancer treatment but with his passion for work undimmed by what his son and heir Prince William called a "brutal" year.
Charles paused royal duties in February after he was diagnosed with an undisclosed cancer. Two and a half months later at the end of April he was back at work.
"The problem is trying to stop him," his wife, Queen Camilla, has said several times since.
Last month, the couple even resumed their foreign travels, with the king pausing his treatment while visiting Australia then Samoa for a Commonwealth heads of government meeting.
According to those close to him, Charles returned "invigorated" from the 11-day trip, while one palace official said the king intended to return to a "normal" schedule of overseas trips next year.
His desire to fulfil his public duties may be influenced by the fact when he succeeded his mother Queen Elizabeth II, he was the longest-serving heir apparent in British history at 70 years.
Upon ascending the throne on September 8, 2022 when Elizabeth died, Charles pledged to perform his constitutional role "throughout the remaining time God grants me".
Last Sunday, he led the nation in a two-minute silence to honour Britons killed in battle since 1914 at the Cenotaph memorial in London, one of the most important dates in the royal calendar.
The previous evening, he joined his son William and daughter-in-law Catherine, Princess of Wales -- who recently completed chemotherapy for her own cancer diagnosis this year -- at the Royal Albert Hall for a commemorative concert.
After welcoming Bahrain's king on Tuesday, Charles hosted a reception at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday for the British film and TV industry, then attended the world premiere of "Gladiator II".
His birthday will be marked by ceremonial gun salutes -- a tradition for the monarch's birthday -- but there will be no day off.
Charles is due in south London to open a centre for the redistribution of surplus food, where he will inspect a newly installed industrial freezer.
The hub is part his "Coronation Food Project", which was launched on his 75th birthday and aims to tackle food waste and support people in need.