The King took time to chat to air cadets and members of the public as he walked to church on the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk on Sunday.

Dozens of people turned out to greet Charles, 75, as he walked to service at St Mary Magdalene Church on a warm July day.

As the King walked back to Sandringham House after the service, the crowd had grown to over 100 people. He took the time to talk to many of them.

The king, who is still receiving treatment after a cancer diagnosis, wore a gray suit, purple tie and brown shoes.

The sun was shining as he made the short few minutes’ walk from Sandringham House to the church.

Charles, who was not with Camilla, spoke briefly to those present on the way to the church before being greeted by the Reverend Canon Dr Paul Williams.

After the service he walked down the steps of the church and took time to chat with Flt Lt Pauline Petch and some air cadets from 42F Squadron.

Mrs Petch has overseen the local RAF cadets for the past 20 years and is retiring next week. Her final assignment will be the Sandringham Flower Show.

Mrs Petch, from Middleton near King’s Lynn, said she had sent the King a postcard from the squadron when news broke that he was ill.

In it she wished him well and said: “I hope to see you at the flower show, which will be my 20th year as leader and probably my last engagement.”

The 66-year-old former teacher said she was later told the king would not be attending the flower show this year, but that she and a group of cadets had been invited to the church gate on Sunday.

Ms Petch said it meant “a lot” to be invited, adding: “It’s an honour to be here.”

“He spoke so well to each cadet and asked them so many different things about their training and what they get from being cadets,” she said.

“He’s so interested and he always has been.”

After speaking to the cadets, Charles walked back to Sandringham House, speaking to those who were well-disposed towards him along the way.

Joanne Barker, from the village of Pleasley near Chesterfield, Derbyshire, spoke to Charles.

The 57-year-old mobile barber said: “I think he looks much better. I admire him so much.

“He was walking pretty well. I think he seemed in a good mood, he was nice and he was laughing with us.”

She said they had been talking about the crooked spire in Chesterfield and she asked him if he knew the folklore about it.

“He said no, so we told him the devil came along while they were building it and tipped it over a little bit,” she said.

“He laughed and said, ‘I like that, I like that very much, I like that better than the story of the twisted oak tree.’”