King Charles III and Queen Camilla are scheduled to visit Australia and Samoa in October, as the King undertakes more public duties despite undergoing cancer treatment. Their engagements will take place in the Australian Capital Territory and New South Wales, followed by a Commonwealth summit in Samoa.
Despite his cancer diagnosis earlier this year, the King will embark on this extensive trip. However, Buckingham Palace has confirmed that the couple will not visit New Zealand, based on medical advice against a prolonged stay.
“In close consultation with the Australian and New Zealand prime ministers, and considering the time and logistical constraints, it has been decided to limit the visit to Samoa and Australia only,” the Palace stated.
This trip marks the King’s first visit 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. In Australia, their itinerary includes visits to the Australian Capital Territory and New South Wales.
The couple will participate in the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), which gathers delegations from the 56 Commonwealth countries. More details about their visit will be announced soon, with the schedule subject to medical advice.
The 75-year-old monarch last visited Australia in 2018 with the Queen Camilla for the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games. Although Australians narrowly voted against becoming a republic in a 1999 referendum, discussions for another vote have persisted. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has long supported a referendum on becoming a republic, but the government announced in January that it is not a current priority.
In February, Buckingham Palace confirmed that the King would scale back some public engagements while receiving cancer treatment. They clarified that it was not prostate cancer and was discovered during treatment for an enlarged prostate. The King resumed public duties in April, sharing his experience of his cancer diagnosis with patients at University College London Hospital.
Recently, the King participated in a D-Day commemoration in Normandy, hosted actor Idris Elba for a youth crime summit, and welcomed the Japanese emperor and empress during their state visit to the UK.
On Sunday, the Princess of Wales presented the Wimbledon men’s singles trophy to Carlos Alcaraz, her second public appearance since her cancer diagnosis earlier this year. Catherine returned to public duties at Trooping the Colour last month, where she addressed her diagnosis, stating that while she is making “good progress,” she is “not out of the woods yet.”
