The Prince of Wales will arrive in Japan on Tuesday for a two-day trip to attend the ceremony of enthronement of Emperor Naruhito, but Charles will not be joined by his wife, the Duchess of Cornwall.
Camilla, 71, previously admitted she has a fear of flying during a visit to ITV's This Morning set last year and therefore, doesn't always accompany her husband on overseas visits. She cut short a visit to Australia in April 2018, with a Clarence House spokesman saying at the time: “The Duchess does not like flying but I think she has to sometimes embrace that fear."
Given the short duration of the trip and the long-haul return flights to Japan, Camilla's absence is understandable, but she also has prior engagements that are very close to her heart this week.
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© Photo: Getty ImagesCharles and Camilla in Japan in 2008
The Duchess will open the new Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases and Brownsword Therapies Centre at the Royal United Hospitals Bath (RUH) on Tuesday. Camilla became President of the Royal Osteoporosis Society in 2011, after becoming involved in 1997, following the deaths of her mother and grandmother as a result of the condition. Following the opening, she'll join a reception to mark the 20th anniversary of the Forever Friends Appeal, the charity for the RUH. On Thursday, the Duchess is also attending a tea reception in London, to mark the 7th anniversary of the National Literacy Trust's Books Unlocked programme.
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Charles and Camilla last visited Japan together in 2008 and next month, they'll be heading off for an official visit to New Zealand between Sunday 17 and Saturday 23 November. The Prince will also travel to Tuvalu and the Solomon Islands to celebrate the Monarchy’s relationship with these Commonwealth Realms.
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