King Charles and Queen Camilla have been busily preparing for their long journey to Australia this week, with their much-anticipated royal tour kicking off on Friday, 18th October.
It’ll be a jam-packed visit, with the itinerary sticking to the usually fast-paced nature of a royal tour. The King and Queen will meet with Australians of the Year in Sydney, check in with politicians in Canberra and even enjoy a community barbecue to get a taste of the country’s cultural diversity.
After spending much of this year on a pared-back schedule as he undergoes treatment for cancer, Charles, 75, is understandably eager to make the most of what could be his final tour of Australia.
But New Idea is told that no-one is more worried about the King’s wellbeing than his heir, the Prince of Wales, who has been urging his fragile father to take it easy on his travels.
“Prince William has watched both his dad and his wife, Catherine, go through cancer treatment this year so it’s no wonder he has a bit of anxiety around how his dad will cope with a gruelling trip to Australia,” a source exclusively tells New Idea.
“He knows he’s being overprotective, but he’s keen to ensure Charles is looking after himself.”
Charles’ medical team have assured his health will be “prioritised” throughout the 11-day Australia and Samoa tour, but as the ageing monarch is pausing his cancer treatment for almost two weeks to complete the tour, his loved ones can’t help but have concerns.
In his typical selfless style, Charles has been brushing aside his own health issues and focusing on putting his wife at ease, given her long-held fear of flying.
Just as she did for their joint tour to Kenya last year, Camilla, 77, is swallowing her nerves to get on the plane and be by her husband’s side on official duty, making the nearly 50,000-kilometre round trip.
“She knows it’s part of her job to go all over the world and she will continue to do so,” royal expert Jennie Bond explains. “I think it makes all the difference that Queen Camilla and the King are together on these flights and tours.”
