Next week, King Charles and Queen Camilla are set to travel to Australia and Samoa as part of an Autumn tour – but it seems one word closely associated with royal visits has been banned for the upcoming trip
In just a matter of days, King Charles will be starting the long journey Down Under for his eagerly-awaited trip to Australia.
Both the King and Queen Camilla are set to visit both Sydney and Canberra starting next week, as well as pay a visit to Samoa for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (Chogm). It is Charles’ first trip to Australia, where he is head of state, since becoming monarch and his first major overseas tour since his cancer diagnosis earlier this year.
Palace aides have confirmed that the utmost care has been taken when putting together the King and Queen’s itinerary for the trip, which includes many of the hallmarks of a traditional royal tour, including meeting officials, laying wreaths and when in Sydney, visiting the famous Opera House.
But when it comes to their schedule, it appears that one word nearly always used when it comes to the royals has been banned from being used on the tour – and it’s all down to the destination.
Like in many places they visit, in Australia, the King and Queen will be able to greet wellwishers who turn out to see them. These are usually referred to as a walkabout – with the term first being used to describe the meet and greet under the late Queen Elizabeth II.
However, out of respect for Australia’s Aboriginal communities, it appears that the term ‘walkabout’ will not be used in this context on the tour. In Aboriginal culture the term refers to a person travelling around the Australian bush at a time of ritual, grief or when they are coming of age. With this in mind, the term has been dropped in favour of them being referred to as an “opportunity to meet the public”.
Last week it emerged that during the trip, Charles will pause his cancer treatment after getting the go-ahead from doctors. Since Charles, 75, was diagnosed with cancer in February, he has been having weekly treatment. However, it is understood that while this will continue until he is due to travel, the treatment will stop briefly for 11 days while he is out of the country but will then resume when he returns.
It is said that ‘workaholic’ Charles has had to be “persuaded to be mindful of pacing his diary”, but he has since found great solace in focusing on his recovery to get back to his best. A source said: “The King, by his very nature, is a workaholic. If he’s not on public engagements, he is working on the next set while staying across his government papers or responding to correspondence.
“He hasn’t really slowed down despite the protests from those around him, but it has been important to him to remain to be seen. Even during his treatment, he was keen to make sure things were in place for him to make a full-time return. Now things are moving in a very positive direction which has enabled him to make long-term plans.”
Reports the King could press ahead with 12 engagements a day while in Australia and Samoa were dismissed by aides, who confirmed the utmost care had been taken to tailor specifics in line with palace doctors who are confident Charles will be able to miss out on his scheduled cancer treatment for the period he is away. As part of the visit, Charles and Camilla will lay a wreath at the Australian War Memorial, and visit the “For our Country” memorial, dedicated to the service of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.
In the capital Canberra, they will be welcomed to the Australian parliament by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. The royal couple will attend a barbeque in Sydney and visit the iconic opera house perched on the harbour. Perhaps most poignantly the King will meet two cancer doctors, both Australians of the Year who were recognised for their work on skin cancer.
