King Charles makes major change to royal tour amid cancer treatment

The King and Queen are heading off on a major tour this autumn but there will be a significant change to their schedule.

Charles, 75, and Camilla, 76, will visit Australia and Samoa in October, where they will attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) 2024.

The Australian leg of the trip, at the invitation of the country's government, will see them carry out engagements in the Australian Capital Territory and New South Wales.

However, their tour will not include a stop in New Zealand due to Charles's ongoing treatment for cancer.

While it was previously hoped that the King would visit the island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, his doctors advised that an extended programme should be avoided to prioritise his continued recovery, a Buckingham Palace spokesperson said.

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The palace added: "In close consultation with the Australian and New Zealand prime ministers, and with due regard for the pressures of time and logistics, it has therefore been agreed to limit the visit to Samoa and Australia only.

"Their Majesties send their warmest thanks and good wishes to all parties for their continued support and understanding."

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It's understood that the couple's programme will be subject to doctors' advice, with any necessary modifications to be made on health grounds.

A full itinerary is set to be announced in due course, but CHOGM will bring together delegations from 56 countries in Africa, the Caribbean and Americas, Europe, Asia, and the Pacific.

It will be Charles and Camilla's first official visit to Australia of the King's reign. The couple's last trip Down Under was in 2018, when they represented the late Queen Elizabeth II at the Commonwealth Games.

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The King returned to public-facing duties in April while still receiving treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer. His shock diagnosis was confirmed by the palace in February.

Charles has had a packed schedule of engagements over the last couple of months, including Trooping the Colour, Garter Day, Royal Ascot and the Japan State Visit.

The King also welcomed Britain's new prime minister Keir Starmer following Labour's majority in the General Election earlier this month.