King Charles III‘s agenda has created confusion, leading to interesting theories and concerns.
Preparations are underway for King Charles and Queen Camilla to undertake their first major tour since ascending the British throne. The tour was announced before King Charles’s cancer diagnosis.
Living by the motto “you have to be seen to be believed,” the Royal Family must be seen to be believed; His Majesty and his wife were set to visit Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, and Samoa.
King Charles was eager to promote the monarchy while tightening its ties with the Commonwealth.
There is a sense of urgency in King Charles’s tour because several countries including Belize,the Bahamas, Grenada, Antigua and Barbuda, and St.Kitts and Nevis have all signaled that they will withdraw from the Commonwealth.
Barbados cut ties with the United Kingdom in 2021. Jamaica’s upcoming referendum in 2025 will be a pivotal moment in deciding whether they will break with the monarchy.
However, the trip is in limbo because of King Charles’s health issues. Officials are keeping it quiet, but King Charles and Queen Camilla have been forced to cancel a large portion of the trip.
The royal tour is scheduled to begin in the fall, and according to The Daily Beast, Clive Alderton, King Charles’s personal secretary, is already in Australia “preparing the ground for his master’s forthcoming visit to that country.”
The media outlet revealed that hints have been given that King Charles will not be able to travel to New Zealand and Fiji.
The publication stated: “The absence of an Alderton sighting in New Zealand, however, has served as yet more evidence that Charles has now all but canceled his tour of that country, which was to be bolted on to the Australia trip. A proposed trip to Fiji has also, reportedly, been shelved.”
Another hiccup: Buckingham Palace is mum on King Charles’s attendance at the Commonwealth Heads of Government (CHOGM) conference in Samoa.
A royal source told The Daily Beast: “They are in denial by continuing to say that planning for the overseas trip is full steam ahead, but the orders come from the top. Charles is optimistic and desperately wants to keep going with everything. Missing New Zealand is a great loss, and it will be a source of great regret for him because, to be honest, he probably won’t be doing it again. But it’s frankly incredible that he is still doing Australia, and that should be celebrated.”
The source added: “Australia is such an important part of the Commonwealth that Charles feels it is absolutely non-negotiable. There is considerable popular antipathy to the entire concept of the British monarch being head of state there, and of course, he doesn’t want to go down as the man who lost Australia. To go there when he is being treated for cancer wasn’t what he planned—but you could hardly think of a better way of letting Australians know how important they are to the crown.”
A friend of The King told The Daily Beast that he fought back against the chatter around the trip by saying that he is determined to reach out to these nations, but if his doctors and Queen Camilla say otherwise, he will listen.
The royal confidence stated: “Charles is keenly aware of the importance of a visit by the monarch, not just to a foreign country but to domestic charities and organizations. That is why he has been determined to do as much as he can, meet as many people as possible, and support as many causes as he can. Sitting in splendid isolation in Balmoral with his feet up would not be good for his morale. But at the same time, if the doctors—and his wife—say no to something, he has to listen to them. I think that is what we are seeing now.”
The Mirror also dropped the bombshell that King Charles has been forced to reduce the Australian tour to six days—including a two-day break.
King Charles’s primary wave of cancellations has sparked uncertainty and concerns.
