King Charles's doctors have permitted him to briefly pause his cancer treatment to embark on a Royal visit to Australia, the Daily Mail has reported. The visit, starting on October 18, will include stops in Sydney and Canberra, followed by a State Visit to Samoa for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).
The publication suggests that the King will continue his cancer treatment until the day of his departure, and his doctors are comfortable with him taking a break from it during his time abroad. Once he returns to the UK, he will resume his treatment schedule.
“Australia is a big deal and he wants to be fighting fit. As soon as he returns, he is also straight into a really intense programme all the way up to Christmas,” a source told the publication while calling the monarch a “workaholic”.
The news that he will undertake this nearly 50,000-km, 11-day tour between treatments has been seen as a positive sign of his health and demonstrates his dedication to Royal duties, as per the British tabloid.
Charles was diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer in February after undergoing prostate surgery. Since then, he has been receiving weekly treatment.
Though Buckingham Palace has not commented, it has been revealed that the tour schedule, which includes ten engagements a day, is carefully planned with his doctors to ensure it considers his health and recovery. As usual, a travelling doctor will accompany the King on the tour.
This trip is especially important as it marks the King’s first official visit to a Realm since becoming monarch, and his first CHOGM as Head of the Commonwealth.
Despite advice from his wife, Queen Camilla, and advisers to slow down, the 75-year-old King feels energised by his work and finds maintaining his routine beneficial for his mental well-being, sources told the publication.
Recently, King Charles was seen in good spirits at a reception celebrating the Commonwealth Diaspora, where he even performed a traditional Samoan dance. He is currently in Scotland to focus on his recovery before the tour, continuing to work from his private home.
