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King Charles and Queen Camilla have touched down in Australia and are beginning the first engagements for their latest royal tour–but ahead of their engagements, the couple has done a few key things differently.
Before their arrival, People reported that Camilla and Charles took separate flights to Australia, with Charles leaving London on October 17 without his wife listed in the Court Circular. The outlet reported that the monarch wanted vacation time before embarking on the trip.
“Queen Camilla is said to have a fear of flying and has previously departed early for royal tours, breaking up the trips with a stop at a favorite spa,” the outlet revealed in its report. “The Queen is known to go to the Soukya holistic health center near Bangalore, India, a residential medical institute focused on ‘healing, prevention or rejuvenation’ through naturopathy, homeopathy, yoga, Ayurveda and more.”
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Another deviation from usual royal trip protocol is the inclusion of a rest day for Charles and Camilla’s time in Australia.
“Their Majesties decided to take a ‘rest day’ during the high-profile six-day trip, likely to help them adjust to the time difference and recharge their batteries ahead of their busy schedule,” Hello! reported, noting that a Buckingham Palace spokesperson previously said that have to “think about how you can ensure their Majesty’s energies are preserved to be at their best.”
The focus on preserving stamina comes amid Charles’s cancer. “There had been some hope earlier in the year for their Majesties to be able to visit New Zealand. On doctor’s advice, and in close consultation with the Australian and New Zealand governments, that wasn’t able to take place,” the spokesperson added. “We’ve had to make some difficult decisions about the programme with the Australian government, about where their Majesties can get to.”
Charles’s visit to Australia marks his first since becoming the head of state in September 2022, and doubles as his biggest trip since revealing his cancer diagnosis in February.
