The King is preparing for his autumn tour Down Under by following a renewed health regime, immersing himself and nature and the company of loved ones.
We can reveal Charles, who has long been an advocate of alternative therapies, has complimented his chemotherapy treatment for cancer with a love of the great outdoors. Sources close to the monarch say the King believes his desire to “get lots of fresh air and encourage family visits” has been a main factor in his continued recovery from the disease.
It is said “workaholic” Charles has had to be “persuaded to be mindful of pacing his diary”, he has since found great solace in focusing on his recovery to get back to his best.
The monarch is complimenting his cancer treatment with other remedies ( Image: Getty Images)
The monarch is taking in plenty of fresh air and time with family ( Image:Getty Images)
The King and Queen arrive for a nine day tour of Australia and Samoa on October 18, including a four day visit to Samoa for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting on the island nation. In recent weeks, Charles has been spending time at his Birkhall home on the Balmoral estate in Aberdeenshire, planning his first major international tour since his diagnosis.
A source said: “The King, by his very nature, is a workaholic. If he’s not on public engagements, he is working on the next set while staying across his government papers or responding to correspondence.
“He hasn’t really slowed down despite the protests from those around him, but it has been important to him to remain to be seen. Even during his treatment he was keen to make sure things were in place for him to make a full time return.
“Now things are moving in a very positive direction which has enabled him to make long term plans.”
Even when staying in Scotland for the traditional royal summer break, the King has undertaken engagements on the way down to London to “keep the train on the tracks”, as one royal source divulged.
In the aftermath of the horrific Southport knife attack in July that claimed the lives of three schoolgirls, Charles instructed aides to make arrangements for him to visit the town to meet bereaved families and express his condolences for their loss. After consultation with the families and authorities after several towns and cities across Britain were besieged by far right protests, he made the trip en route to a cancer appointment.
Friends of the King has said he was “in awe” of the community spirit shown in the town devastated by the killings and outpouring of emotion for the grief stricken families of the schoolgirls and those who survived. After riots which threatened to take over large parts of the country, the King has praised the way “community spirit” and “compassion” countered the “aggression and criminality” on display.
Another source said: “These past few months have given cause for His Majesty to reflect on many things. Naturally, some of this has been on his own health and the way in which he wants to use his misfortune to create something positive, but equally he has considered what he wants to do when his treatment ends and he is back to full health.”
Charles, 75, was diagnosed in February following a three night hospital stay for an enlarged prostate. Following a procedure the King bravely decided to go public to encourage other men to seek help if facing a similar diagnosis.
The NHS and other men’s health charities heaped praise on the sovereign for being responsible for a huge upturn in inquiries about the condition, with NHS England reporting a 1,000% increase to its website. One palace source said the King has in recent weeks “radiated positivity” and even in his darkest days was “always looking to the future”.
The King resumed his public duties at the end of April 2024. His first public visit was to a cancer treatment centre with Queen Camilla while he also made a surprise visit to an army barracks in Hampshire, joking about being “allowed out of my cage”. He is now looking forward to pressing ahead with his tour of Australia – will also be the first Commonwealth realm he has visited as monarch – and Samoa for Chogm.
Reports the King could press ahead with 12 engagements a day were dismissed by aides, who confirmed the utmost care had been taken to tailor specifics in line with palace doctors who are confident Charles will be able to miss out on his scheduled cancer treatment for the period he is away. As part of the visit, Charles and Camilla will lay a wreath at the Australian War Memorial, and visit the “For our Country” memorial, dedicated to the service of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.
In the capital Canberra, they will be welcomed to the Australian parliament by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. The royal couple will attend a barbeque in Sydney and visit the iconic opera house perched on the harbour.
Perhaps most poignantly the King will meet two cancer doctors, both Australians of the Year who were recognised for their work on skin cancer. Before they make their final preparations to leave, next Wednesday the King and Queen will be accompanied by The Duchess of Edinburgh and The Duke of Kent, to host a reception to celebrate the Commonwealth Diaspora, ahead of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa.
The event at St. James’s Palace will bring together more than 300 guests including Australian actor Cate Blanchett, singer Grace Jones who hails from Jamaica, South African born dancer and Strictly Come Dancing judge Motshegetsi “Motsi” Mabuse, Samoan rugby player Theodore McFarland, soprano Isabella Moore and singer Neil Finn, both from New Zealand.
This month Charles was surprised by a New Zealand women’s rugby player who asked him for a hug at a Buckingham Palace reception. The King said “why not” after winger Ayesha Leti-I’iga made the request, and he was then affectionately mobbed by a group of players. Afterwards he told the group “it was like being flattened by a scrum”.
One palace insider said: “The King is on the right path and enjoying being back in business.” Buckingham Palace did not comment.
