King Charles has been spotted at Heathrow Airport as he prepares to spend six days Down Under with his wife Queen Camilla.
The 75-year-old monarch, who has paused his cancer treatment for the demanding trip, was pictured arriving at the international airport as he prepared to take a commercial flight.
He was driven to the airport’s five-star Windsor Suite in a convoy of vehicles on Thursday morning, with staff unloading three suitcases from the boot of the King’s vehicle. The Queen will meet him during his stop at Singapore, following her private break.
They will then arrive in Sydney on Friday evening where they will receive an official welcome as they kickstart their highly-anticipated tour of the country.
While many Australians will come out in their strides to welcome the royal couple, others appear uninterested that their head of state has travelled for more than 24 hours to be there.
The Australian Republic Movement has attempted to rebrand the visit as the “farewell tour” and several state premieres have snubbed an invite to meet the king in Canberra on Monday.
The mood Down Under does appear to be one of indifference – as the issue of monarchy doesn’t seem to top the priority list amid the cost-of-living crisis.
But recent polling suggested that far from a burgeoning republic movement, the opposite was true as Aussies are now less favour in ditching the monarchy than during the reign of Queen Elizabeth II.
For the Palace, the royal tour is a big showcase for the monarchy and an attempt to quieten the republic movement that has become increasingly vocal in recent years.
It marks the first visit from its head of state since 2011, and the Firm will be looking to exhibit a well and jovial King, in touch with Australia and its needs.
The trip will be by no means easy, as the royal couple adjust to a punishing time difference and grapple questions about their relevance – but aides are confident that the trip will go a long way to reassure people at home and abroad that the King is very much focused on business as normal after a tricky few months for his health.
The first official day of engagements will commence on Sunday, with aides ensuring the couple have a day off after their gruelling flights to acclimatise to the new time zone.
On Monday, the King and Queen will arrive in Canberra, the capital of Australia, where Prime Minister will officially welcome them and His Majesty will address a reception attended by politican and community leaders.
They will also pay their respects to the fallen, laying a wreath at the Australian War Memorial visit CSIRO, the Commonwealth and Industrial Research Organisation and tour the National Botanic Gardens before jetting back to Sydney.
On their final day on Australia’s east coast, the pair will attend separate engagements before coming together for a community BBQ at Parramatta Park.
Their tour will conclude with a trip to the Sydney Opera House and a review of the Navy Fleet.
But their trip doesn’t stop there as they will fly onto Samoa for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) – the first time the King will have attended as monarch.
Source link
