King Charles briefly mentioned his health during an event he hosted at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday evening.

Providing a rare health update during a meeting with New Zealand’s women’s rugby union team, the monarch shared that due to “doctor’s orders” he won’t be able to travel to their country in his upcoming tour to Oceania.

During his candid remarks, the King told the Black Ferns: “I am extremely sorry I can’t come to New Zealand in later October because of doctor’s orders. But I hope there will be another excuse before too long.

“But in the meantime, give my love to New Zealand, please, and New Zealanders, we get lots of nice Kiwi coming here in this part of the world as well, so we are very lucky indeed.”

King Charles went on to tell the young athletes: “And I hope you make the most of your time in the team because you don’t stay young for very long, as I discovered, it all goes quicker than you think.”

This prompted laughter among the rugby players, which in turn made the monarch chuckle.

The King continued: “Anyway, I do hope you have great success.”

This event comes as His Majesty continues to undergo treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer. Buckingham Palace shared the monarch’s diagnosis on February 5, adding that on that same day he had “commenced a schedule of regular treatments”.

Earlier this week, Buckingham Palace unveiled the itinerary of the King and Queen Camilla’s trip to Australia and Samoa. Beginning on October 18, the trip will be jam-packed full of engagements focused on “themes designed to celebrate the best of Australia and Samoa, as well as reflecting aspects of the King and Queen’s work”, as stated by the palace.

As shared by the King, the itinerary does not include a stop to New Zealand, of which he is the head of state.

While the royal medical team and the palace have agreed on scaling back the tour, lasting until October 26, a source has provided positive news about the King’s health, saying it is going in a “positive trajectory”.