King Charles has arrived back in London ahead of his imminent prostate surgery this week. The monarch was spotted in a car with the windows cracked down as he was driven to Clarence House on Thursday afternoon.

The King is said to have flown back to the capital ahead of the procedure, due to take place on an unspecified day this week. He is being treated for an enlarged prostate, openly announced by Buckingham Palace last week.

Buckingham Palace said the King’s condition is benign and that the procedure is “corrective” and that His Majesty will be stepping back from public duties for a short time while he recovers. This includes cancelling important meetings that were in his diary.

The exact procedure he is undergoing has not been specified. According to the NHS, an enlarged prostate is common in men over 50 and if benign, is not a “serious threat to health”.

It’s thought Charles decided to go public with his diagnosis in a bid to get other men experiencing symptoms to get themselves checked out.