What royal aides really think about King Charles's health 'blip' and his rigorous workload

says is driven by "helping others" so there is no chance of him reducing his workload despite his ongoing cancer battle. During , Camilla was asked if her husband would be taking it a little easier after , and jokingly replied: "Dream On!"

She suggested that Charles just wouldn't be happy taking it easy, and he's currently hellbent on making up for lost time - having had to postpone his public-facing duties for nearly three months last year, following .

Speaking to UK newspapers in Rome, the Queen said: "He loves his work and it keeps him going. And I think it's wonderful, you know, if you've been ill and you are recovering, you're getting better and now he wants to do more and more and more. That's the problem." She added: "That's what he's driven by. Helping others."

Royal sources insist that the King's ongoing cancer treatment is going "tremendously," despite his "temporary setback" last month when he was briefly hospitalised after experiencing adverse side effects from his treatment.

They describe it as a mere "blip" that was "very, very shortlived" - and that's why his doctors are content for him to maintain his busy workload.

When asked if adaptations might be made to his schedule after suggestions he may be pushing himself too far, a senior Palace official said: "We've all tried! But as people will have seen The King enjoys his work, he enjoys engaging with as many people as possible; he has a voracious appetite for reading - and because he reads a lot he learns a lot.

"And in this role, as when Prince of Wales, he knows he is fortunate to be in a position to make a difference, and is determined to do just that . As we are seeing, since this reign began two and a half years ago, he's achieving that in very many different ways."

The King's four C's: climate, community, culture and Commonwealth remain at the centre of his work and will continue to shape his schedule of engagements.

In Italy, the royal couple packed in 17 engagements between them - but that was uncharacteristically light compared to previous state visits.

The change in pace was due to , which meant the events in Rome were spread over two days instead of one.

This allowed the couple to take a breath, have a bit of downtime and even stop for lunch - not something that the King usually enjoys at home, let alone on a foreign tour.

But even then, a planned rest bite on Wednesday - the date of their 20th wedding anniversary - saw them .

This unplanned meeting is understood to have been one of the highlights of their four-day state visit, described as "the most significant and indeed moving" moments by a senior aide.

They added: "We didn't know until the last minute that it would be possible. But when The Pope asked if he could see The King and Queen, Their Majesties were clearly very pleased; after all, they have known him over many years and with the rest of the world have been praying for his recovery.

"The Pope wanted personally to wish them a happy anniversary, not least because it hadn't been possible to do the State Visit on this occasion. Their Majesties both came away feeling that it had been a very significant and special moment."

The Vatican has said the 88-year-old pontiff is showing improvements as he continues to convalesce at his residence in the Casa Santa Marta, following his recent six-week hospital stay with double pneumonia.

Charles and Camilla are currently in Birkhall, on the Balmoral estate in Scotland, and will no doubt be reflecting on their Italy tour, which a senior palace official hailed for "achieving all its objectives".

They said: "All of it really showed soft power at its best - something of which the UK can be rightly proud and which delivers huge benefit for UK interests overseas. As the Italian Government was saying to us throughout, that level of public interest is unprecedented."

The series of carefully planned engagements showcased the priorities of the UK's relationships with Italy, from a historic address in Parliament to showcasing the military connections of the two countries. Culture also played an important role, with visits to the Colosseum, Tomb of Dante and Byron Museum.

The King and Queen are "naturally pleased when their engagements hit the bullseye and really deliver for Britain", the source added.

Other highlights included the King's visit to the Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna, which left him feeling "deeply moved", and both of them were astounded by the huge crowds that turned up in the small city to see them.

The senior official added: "Their Majesties have a genuine passion for traditional Italian food and were deeply touched that so many people had turned out to show support - queueing for hours in the sun to do so.

"After a very busy programme of official events, here was a chance to celebrate the very best of Italy with The President and the people - a huge high for Their Majesties to depart on. They were only sad that they couldn't stay a little longer to enjoy it all...but I'm sure the happy memories will stay with them for many years to come."

The Palace is still working towards a full national and international programme this year, details of which have not yet been announced.

Charles and Camilla are due to hold an inward state visit in the summer, though that is not expected to be filled by the recent invitation extended to US President Donald Trump. Aides continue to work closely with US authorities on a suitable date for Trump's highly anticipated return to UK shores.