King Charles and Queen Camilla are set to embark on a comprehensive schedule of Royal tours next year, following the King’s positive experience during his visits to Australia and Samoa.
A Senior Palace official revealed that the King has “genuinely loved” the nine-day tour and has “thrived” amidst the flurry of engagements, stating that it has been uplifting for “his spirits, his mood and his recovery. In that sense, the tour – despite its demands – has been the perfect tonic.”
The official noted that despite the demands of the tour, it has served as “the perfect tonic” for Charles, who took a break from his cancer treatment for his first major trip since his diagnosis in February.
He is expected to continue his treatment upon returning to the UK early next week. While the Spring and Autumn tour schedules are yet to be confirmed, pending decisions by the Foreign Office, the plan’s progression signals an encouraging step in the King’s recovery from cancer.
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The official expressed optimism about the upcoming full overseas tour program for the next year, which awaits approval from the Foreign Secretary, Prime Minister, and the King’s medical team. They added: “It is hard to overstate the joy that he takes from duty and service and being in public and seeing those crowds engaging with communities across the spectrum. That really does lift the spirits. You can see that.”
The King and Queen bid farewell to Samoa on Saturday morning, attending a ceremony in a village twinned with the UK for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) hosted by the Pacific island. Villages around Apia, the Samoan capital, are twinned with each of the 56 member states of the Commonwealth, proudly displaying their adopted countries’ flags and painting street furniture in national colours, reports the Express.
In an impromptu speech, Charles expressed: “We’ve been so impressed by the beautiful way in which all the villages have decorated the roadsides, it is something very special about Samoa.”
He thanked locals for their “wonderful generosity” in offering food and “other wonderful things”, stating that the Royal couple would leave with “special memories of our time here”. The King concluded: “I shall always remain devoted to this part of the world and hope that I survive long enough to come back and see you. Their Majesties arrived at the village amidst a downpour, soaking villagers and elders gathered for the ceremony. The King was honoured with the chiefly title of To’aiga-O-Tumua by the village’s high chief, as he and Camilla were presented with sacred kava in coconut shells with straws. “May God bless this kava,” Charles said as he lifted the cup and drank. The chief told His Majesty: “Your papa, Prince Philip, was here, so thank you for making the time. Your Royal visit has lifted our house. “
The rain persisted as the Royal couple made their way to the airport, where they sought shelter under umbrellas before boarding their flight home. Their tour concluded in the same wet weather conditions as their arrival in a rain-soaked Sydney.
Camilla led the way, with Charles following after a brief conversation with dignitaries. Together, they waved farewell to the Pacific nation from the top of the steps. To commemorate their state visit to Samoa, a new official portrait of the King and Queen was released on the Royal Family’s social media channels.
The photo, taken by Getty Royal photographer Chris Jackson on a beach on Friday morning, was accompanied by a message from the Royal couple: “As our visits to Australia and Samoa come to a close, my wife and I would like to thank both nations for the warmest of welcomes and for the countless fond memories we will carry in our hearts for many years to come.
“Even when we are far apart in distance, the many close connections that unite us across the globe and through our Commonwealth family have been renewed, and will remain as profound as they are enduring. Charles R. and Camilla R. “
According to a senior Palace official, the Queen has been a constant source of support for the King throughout their demanding tour, providing him with strength and keeping things grounded. Charles and Camilla spent three nights in Samoa, where Charles officially opened his first CHOGM as Head of the Commonwealth.
Despite his diagnosis, he maintained a packed schedule of up to 10 engagements per day, driven by his strong sense of duty. A Senior Palace aide praised the King’s dedication, saying: “I think it is a great testament to the King’s devotion to service and duty that he was prepared to come this far and he was incredibly happy and very, very determined to do so.”
The King also continued to receive important documents in the famous red boxes, which he reviewed with his Private Secretary. While the couple did enjoy some relaxation time, taking short walks and reading, one source quipped that the King considers reading his briefs as downtime.
The King reportedly resisted attempts to lighten his schedule, believing that caring for his “mind, body and soul” is crucial to his recovery. The senior aide added: “It is also a great measure of the way that the King is dealing with the diagnosis, and he’s a great believer in mind, body and soul.
“This approach seems to be working well for the King, as he feels a strong sense of duty and is able to keep his mind and soul engaged, while his doctor ensures his physical well-being.
“You’ve got what makes for a very successful visit in these circumstances.”
The King and Queen are believed to have thoroughly enjoyed their six-day Australian tour and four days in Samoa, with plans to explore more of the globe next year. During his speech at a dinner on the final night of his stay, Charles expressed his lifelong ambition to visit every Commonwealth country.
“It remains a lifelong aspiration to have visited all the countries of the Commonwealth,” he shared with guests at an official dinner for the Commonwealth Heads of Government.
“Although nowadays it seems to be a race against our rapidly increasing numbers – as well as doctors orders.”
His first trip to Australia since his accession has been widely praised, with local media celebrating the visit and Palace aides commending a job well done. Charles addressed potential issues and topics directly, with a senior palace aide noting: “It’s very easy to run away from some of these issues.”
But the King isn’t one for doing that. “His spirits, his mood and his recovery. In that sense, the tour – despite its demands – has been the perfect tonic.”
He is always someone who wants to understand before he says anything. He’s a listener more than he’s a talker.”
The King aims to leave a legacy from each of his tours, which is why he launched the King’s Commonwealth Fellowship Programme in Samoa on Thursday. It will provide fellowships to mid-career professionals, undergraduate scholarships, and PhDs, to candidates based in Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
The initiative has been inspired by His Majesty’s lifelong commitment to creating opportunities and addressing modern-day issues such as climate change and inequality. A senior palace official remarked, “The idea of these tours always is to leave a trace behind.”
His first visit to Australia since his accession has also been widely hailed as a success, with local press celebrating the visit and Palace aides congratulating a job well done. Charles made sure he was addressing potential issues and topics head on, with the senior palace aide adding: “And that was why the king was very keen that those legacy projects should be launched while we were here.
“As the Palace prepares for Spring and Autumn tours next year, there are expectations for more legacy projects to be unveiled, with the King looking to expand on his four C’s: climate, community, culture, and Commonwealth.”