The upcoming royal tour of King Charles III and Queen Camilla to Australia marks the monarch’s first visit as King to one of the 14 realms where he remains Head of State. Buckingham Palace revealed that the King had been diagnosed with cancer earlier this year and that all public-facing engagements had been paused on the advice of his doctors. Palace aides had never ruled out the possibility of the royal trip to Australia, liaising with the Foreign Office, the Australian and the New Zealand governments before embarking on tasks to finalise arrangements.
On medical grounds, and in collaboration with the Australian and New Zealand governments, New Zealand was removed from the schedule, with the doctors sanctioning the trip as long as the other engagements are managed responsibly. No details of the cancer type, nor of any treatment, have been shared with the public. However, Buckingham Palace officials confirmed that the King’s cancer needs frequent medical check-ups, but he is well enough for the tour, which will be shorter than usual.
The royal itinerary is different from the traditional royal tours, with no state dinners or late evening engagement schedules. The sequence of events has been balanced to preserve the King’s energies, with the trip aiming to give the public a sense of seeing him back in business. The Queen has been pivotal in ensuring that the King follows medical advice and takes enough time to recover during treatment. In Australia and Samoa, the Queen will not only take on her own engagements surrounding matters like literacy and supporting victims of domestic violence, but she will also be overseeing the King’s schedule.
In a year where an Australian republic has been an active topic of political debate, the king’s visit assumes greater significance. The optics matter for Buckingham Palace, with the tour hailed as a big showcase for the monarchy. Monarchies need to be seen, and the King engaging with the public, managing a full timetable of events, doing soft diplomacy and embracing what Australia and Samoa have to offer is the goal. Royal aides are confident of the visit providing a strong sense of normal service resuming
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