Written By Lisa Murimi
King Charles III and Queen Camilla will visit Australia and Samoa in October as the King takes on more public duties while receiving cancer treatment. Their itinerary includes engagements in the Australian Capital Territory and New South Wales before attending a Commonwealth summit in Samoa.
Despite his diagnosis with an undisclosed form of cancer earlier this year, King Charles is making the lengthy journey. However, Buckingham Palace announced that the couple will not visit New Zealand, as doctors advised against an extended trip for health reasons.
“In close consultation with the Australian and New Zealand prime ministers, and with due regard for the pressures of time and logistics, it has therefore been agreed to limit the visit to Samoa and Australia only,” the Palace said in a statement.
This visit marks the King’s first to Australia as Monarch and his first official overseas tour since his cancer diagnosis. In Samoa, they will attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), which gathers delegations from the 56 Commonwealth countries.
Details of the visit are expected to be announced soon, with the couple’s schedule subject to medical advice. The 75-year-old monarch last visited Australia in 2018 for the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.
Buckingham Palace confirmed in February that the King would pause some public events during his cancer treatment, which is not for prostate cancer. He resumed public engagements in April and has since participated in several significant events, including a D-Day commemoration in Normandy and hosting the Japanese emperor and empress during their UK visit.
Earlier on Sunday, the Princess of Wales, also undergoing cancer treatment, presented the Wimbledon men’s singles trophy to Carlos Alcaraz, marking her second public appearance since her diagnosis.
