King's cancer diagnosis: Castlerock chocolatier who made truffles for King's first Belfast visit as monarch says it was one of her ‘greatest honours’

A Northern Ireland chocolatier, who made a selection of truffles to welcome King Charles III during his first Belfast visit as the monarch, has expressed her sadness at the news that His Majesty has been diagnosed with cancer.

Geri Martin from The Chocolate Manor has carried out various commissions for the royal family over the years however says making the special gift for the King whilst leading the mourning for Queen Elizabeth across the UK, was one of the ‘greatest honours’ of her career.

She explained: “For any family a cancer diagnosis is the beginning of a challenging and worrying journey, and I was sorry to hear that the royal family are now facing this.

"It was one of the greatest honours of my career as a chocolatier when The Chocolate Manor was asked to create a selection of chocolates to welcome King Charles to Northern Ireland as monarch for the first time. Art on a Tin provided the Giant's Causeway tin and we chose some of our favourite truffles, and we watched on TV with pride as schoolboy Lucas Watt presented them on behalf of the people of the province to the new King.

“In May, I was invited to the Hillsborough Garden Party where I had the privilege of meeting both the King and Queen, and the chance to chat to them about our pride in playing a small role in marking their accession to the throne.

"The King thanked me for the gift of the truffles on his visit in September 2022, and wished me well with my business. Camilla was warm and friendly and asked how our small team managed such large orders.”

Last year, the Coleraine mother-of-two was also commissioned to make 50,000 white chocolate discs with the King's Coronation emblem for the 2023 celebrations.

Geri, explained: “After handcrafting 50,000 chocolates for the late Queen's Jubilee in 2022 and some for Prince William and wife Kate, it was our pleasure to once again work with Cobbs Cakes in Scotland to create the same number of white chocolate discs, with the King's Coronation emblem, for the celebrations in 2023.

"Those discs adorned cupcakes that were served the length and breadth of the UK marking his Majesty's Coronation, as well as in Castlerock where the community came together to host a number of events to celebrate the momentous occasion.

"The past few years have been tough for the royal family and we send our best wishes to the King as he begins his treatment, and also to the Queen as she supports him through his illness.”