King Charles and Queen Camilla will undertake an Autumn tour in October 2024, Buckingham Palace has confirmed.
The tour will include royal visits to Australia and Samoa, where Their Majesties will attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) 2024.
Buckingham Palace said Their Majesties’ state visit to Samoa will celebrate the strong bilateral relationship between the Pacific Island nation and the UK.
King Charles, 75, was expected to attend the 27th CHOGM on October 21–25 before his cancer diagnosis was announced.
However, Buckingham Palace had been reluctant to confirm the King’s attendance due to His Majesty’s poor health.
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The 27th CHOGM will be the first under the King’s reign. The union consists of 56 member countries from across Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and the Pacific. It will be the first time a small island state in Samoa will host such a high-level meeting.
The King and Queen will also visit Australia at the invitation of the Australian Government, where their programme will feature engagements in the Australian Capital Territory and New South Wales.
It is thought the King and Queen will undertake a scaled-down tour of Australia to what was originally planned to account for the time difference and to ensure His Majesty remains fit and healthy on such a gruelling visit.
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Express.co.uk exclusively revealed in June that Palace officials were laying the groundwork for the King’s attendance at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in October and a tour of Australia.
Australian states submitted bids to host King Charles and Queen Camilla on their upcoming trip.
In the past few months, the Australian federal government had been working closely with palace officials to put the final touches on the royal couple's itinerary.
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Territory state leaders were asked to develop itineraries aligned with two main themes — King Charles's first visit to Australia as sovereign and his interest in climate and sustainability.
Queensland’s proposed royal itinerary included a visit to Prince Charles Hospital in Brisbane, a trip to the Gold Coast and then north to Cairns, where the king would meet those impacted by January's devastating flooding event in the wake of Cyclone Jasper.
The proposal suggested that Their Majesties would also travel to Lizard Island where they have been offered the use of a luxury home and cottage — owned by Racing Queensland chairman Steven Wilson.
Western Australia's itinerary included a visit to the WA Museum Boola Bardip, five renovated heritage buildings in the heart of Perth, and a walk along the Matagarup Bridge — a soaring pedestrian bridge.
The royal couple were also offered a visit to Rottnest Island, one of the state's most popular tourist destinations, for a Quokka spotting session.
However, the King and Queen will undertake a scaled-down tour of the Australian Capital Territory and New South Wales.
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