The King has been seen in public for the first time since he went to hospital after experiencing temporary side effects from his cancer treatment.

He cancelled a trip to Birmingham on Friday on medical advice after spending a short period of time in hospital on Thursday, Buckingham Palace said.

The monarch, 76, left his London residence Clarence House on Friday morning to spend the weekend privately at his Highgrove estate in Gloucestershire.

His diagnosis was announced in February last year but it has not been said what type of cancer he has. The Palace has not provided details on what the recent side effects were.

A Palace source described the most recent health development as a “most minor bump in a road that is very much heading in the right direction”.

“Tomorrow, he was due to undertake four public engagements in Birmingham and is greatly disappointed to be missing them on this occasion,” the Palace said in a statement on Thursday.

“He very much hopes that they can be rescheduled in due course and offers his deepest apologies to all those who had worked so hard to make the planned visit possible.”

Meetings with three ambassadors were also affected, it added.

He was taken to the London Clinic hospital in central London by car and was not joined by Queen Camilla during the brief hospital stay.

The King was said to have been “feeling good” on Thursday evening, carried out some work and shared dinner with the Queen at Clarence House.

Leaving the London residence on Friday morning, he waved at crowds that had gathered nearby as he drove away in a black car.

The Palace said the King’s schedule of public duties – which restarted last April after a period of treatment and recuperation following his diagnosis – is expected to resume next week.

Although his cancer treatment is ongoing, the King has continued to make regular appearances in public, including overseas.

In recent weeks, he assumed a visible role in global diplomacy. He invited US President Donald Trump for a second state visit to the UK and met Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky at his Norfolk residence, Sandringham.

He also welcomed Mark Carney, Canada’s new prime minister, to Buckingham Palace.

In recent weeks the King has been on a trip to Northern Ireland and also attended the Commonwealth Day service, which he missed last year after his diagnosis.

Earlier this month, he launched a playlist of his favourite music.

He is set to take part in a state visit to Italy in April. A previously planned meeting with Pope Francis has been cancelled due to the pontiff’s ill-health.

Details of the King’s cancer and the type of treatment he is receiving remain private.

The diagnosis was made after a separate issue of concern was noted during treatment for benign prostate enlargement, a Palace statement said when his illness was made public last year.

The King chose to share the news to prevent speculation and “assist public understanding for all those around the world who are affected by cancer”.