THE King has cancelled his planned visit to Cheshire this week.

Charles was due to visit a leading British car manufacturer and a community centre during a double engagement in Crewe on Friday.

He was to first visit luxury car maker Bentley’s headquarters to learn more about its social and environmental sustainability strategies and officially open a new electric vehicle facility.

The motor company is one of the largest employers in the Cheshire town.

The plan was for him to then visit St Paul’s Community Centre, a charity which provides furniture, food, shoes and community activities to those struggling financially.

However, Buckingham Palace has confirmed that the royal family has postponed engagements ‘which may appear to divert attention or distract from the election campaign’.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak spoke with King yesterday, Wednesday, to inform him of his decision to call a General Election for July 4, with Charles agreeing to the request for the dissolution of Parliament.

A Buckingham Palace spokesman said: “Following the Prime Minister’s statement calling a General Election, the royal family will, in accordance with normal procedure, postpone engagements that may appear to divert attention or distract from the election campaign.

“Their Majesties send their sincere apologies to any of those who may be affected as a result.”

The King and Queen’s D-Day 80th anniversary appearances in Portsmouth and Normandy in June are expected to go ahead as scheduled, but the announcement of a July 4 vote disrupted other events in the carefully planned forthcoming royal diaries.

Heir to the throne the Prince of Wales also pulled out of a day of previously unannounced engagements for today.

It is understood the move is not a blanket approach to future events, and engagements will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

The King has only just returned to public-facing duties after his cancer diagnosis, with doctors giving him permission to return to work.