Key Points
- Australia is preparing for the possibility of a royal tour by King Charles and Queen Camilla later this year.
- Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed he will start planning with states and territories this week.
- It has been unclear whether the royal tour will go ahead following King Charles’ cancer diagnosis.
While the King has scaled back on engagements following his cancer diagnosis, preparations were being made for the monarch’s first visit to Australia since taking the throne.
Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said the King had a long connection with Australia, extending from his time attending Geelong Grammar in the 1960s.
“A royal visit by King Charles and Queen Camilla later in the year would be a really, really tremendous and popular event and I do think that Australians would very much welcome seeing King Charles in our country.”
King Charles’ first Australian royal visit as sovereign
The King has previously travelled to every state and territory and it’s expected all jurisdictions will make requests for the monarch to visit.
“I mean, this is one of the greatest cities on earth and if you don’t come to Sydney then no one will believe that you came to Australia,” he told Seven’s Sunrise program.
King Charles’ battle with cancer
There has been speculation as to whether the royal tour will go ahead after Charles announced he had been diagnosed with cancer in February.
Buckingham Palace confirmed he will continue to perform his official paperwork, including weekly meetings with the prime minister throughout his treatment.
Source Agencies
