King Charles and Queen Camilla to visit Australia in late October

King Charles III and Queen Camilla will make a lightning visit to Australia next month in their first trip Down Under since taking the throne. The visit – the 16th to Australia for King Charles – was put into doubt when the King was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year. But Buckingham Palace has confirmed the royal couple will make a shortened visit with three days of events in just Sydney and Canberra. It’s good news for NSW and the ACT but disappointing for other states that had hoped to lure the royal couple for a tourism boost. They will arrive on Friday, October 18 before flying out the following Wednesday for the CHOGM leaders meeting in Samoa. Anthony Albanese on Wednesday welcomed the visit, the first by a reigning monarch since Queen Elizabeth II visited Canberra, Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth in 2011. “The royal visit is an opportunity to showcase the best of Australia – our rich culture, our sense of community, and contributions to science, research and global progress,” the Prime Minister said. “His Majesty first visited Australia in 1966, and has a strong personal affection for our nation. “We are delighted that His Majesty is recovering well and has made visiting Australia once again a priority. “Australians look forward to welcoming The King and Queen back to Australia in October, and highlighting the best of the Australian spirit.” The royal couple – then the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall – was last in Australia more than six years ago for the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast and a trip to the Northern Territory. Their schedule this trip has been organised to ensure the King is able to rest. But it’s still a busy schedule, where they will enjoy a barbecue with everyday Aussies, spend time on Sydney Harbour and engage in events focused on their pet Mr Albanese will welcome the couple to Parliament House on Monday October 21 for a reception with political and community leaders, and Australians who have excelled in the fields of health, arts, culture and sport. They will also lay a wreath at the Australian War Memorial, and visit the Australian National Botanic Gardens. At the Botanic Gardens, they will meet with staff and volunteers to discuss the global impacts of climate change. The King will visit CSIRO where scientists will share their work on dealing with the impact of bushfires in Australia. The Queen will take part in a discussion on family and domestic violence before meeting representatives from charity GIVIT, of which she is patroness, to celebrate its work in co-ordinating donations for those in need. More than 1.1 million donated items were co-ordinated through GIVIT.org.au. The King will be in Sydney on Sunday and Tuesday, where they will conduct a Fleet Review of the Royal Australian Navy, and attend a community barbecue celebrating Australia’s cultural diversity, The King will meet with Australians of the Year, Professor Georgina Long AO and Professor Richard Scolyer AO, to learn about their groundbreaking cancer research into melanoma. He will also meet Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representatives and groups to learn about their work in supporting the local community and strengthening culture. The Queen will visit a library and meet children participating in a Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition workshop. The announcement came a day after the Princess of Wales announced that she was free of cancer following her diagnosis at the beginning of the year.