King Charles III and Queen Camilla’s successful tour of Australia and Samoa has left Buckingham Palace in good spirits. That said, there’s disquiet from Camilla’s side on how hard her husband is pushing himself while still undergoing cancer treatment.
The monarch paused treatment during the tour and per medical advice, scaled down his itinerary to preserve his energy. Even though he was heckled by a protestor in Canberra and pulled out of a luncheon held in his honor, His Majesty pushed through with the grueling nine-day schedule with a smile on his face.
A senior Buckingham Palace official has now said plans are underway for the monarch to resume regular overseas trips despite his cancer battle, suggesting that keeping up with a work schedule forms a significant part of his approach to dealing with his diagnosis.
“We’re now working on a pretty normal looking full overseas tour program for next year, which is a high for us to end on, to know that we can be thinking in those terms,” the official said, believing the tour to Australia and Samoa was “a great measure of the way that the King is dealing with his [cancer] diagnosis.”
“He’s a great believer in mind, body and soul, and this combination works very well on a visit like this, because he feels that sense of duty so strongly. It’s hard to overstate the joy that he takes from duty and service and being in public and seeing those crowds engaging with communities across the spectrum. That really does lift his spirits. You can see that.”
Despite his dedication to the crown, Camilla apparently believes her husband should prioritize his health, with a friend saying she’s worried that the international visits might jeopardize his cancer treatment: “Now with this return to work, she is understandably fearful her husband is rushing it. She just wants him to slow down and prioritize his health.”
That worry was said to be apparent on their final day of the tour, when Camilla displayed a rollercoaster of emotions after Charles’ telling speech during a farewell ceremony in Samoa. He told the dignitaries: “I shall always remain devoted to this part of the world and hope that I survive long enough to come back again and see you.”
The Queen had, as what her friend called, an “emotional reaction” when she was pictured giggling and crying behind her fan. Some suggested it was because of the defective mic while others accused her of disrespect for laughing at a Samoan dance performance.
But the friend attributed her reaction to the monarch’s speech: “It was a strange thing to say, and I think Camilla had an emotional reaction. Of course it would. She is terrified. They have had a horrendous year.”
Charles’ medical team shares Camilla’s worries as the plans were allegedly made without a full assessment of his wellbeing. Despite appearing in good spirits in Australia and Samoa, Charles stirred health concerns after photos showed him with inflamed lips, which could be a side effect of his cancer treatment. Camilla’s son, Tom Parker Bowles, had also expressed his concerns for the monarch, saying his diagnosis has been “very worrying.”
