Buckingham Palace has announced that The King and Queen will undertake an Autumn Tour from 18-26 October with a Royal Visit to Australia, a State Visit to Samoa and attendance of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2024.
It marks the first outgoing State Visit since The King had to scale back royal duties following his cancer diagnosis and subsequent treatment.
A new photograph of The King and Queen has been released. (Royal Family)
Here’s what we can expect from their Autumn Tour:
Australian itinerary for The King and Queen
In Australia, The King’s solo itinerary will focus on sustainability and cancer treatments. Charles will visit the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, where he will meet firefighters to learn about the centre’s work to combat the bush fires which devastate hectares of Australian land each year.
Following his cancer diagnosis earlier this year, His Majesty will meet Professor Georgina Long and Professor Richard Scolyer, both Australians of the Year, and will hear about the work they do to help those affected by melanoma.
Meanwhile, The Queen’s solo programme will reflect the themes of her royal work, including a visit to a library in Sydney, where she will meet children participating in a Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition workshop.
Continuing to highlight domestic violence on a global level, Camilla will join a discussion on domestic and family violence, with some of those whose lives been affected by it, and experts who work in the field. Her Majesty will also meet representatives of GIVIT, a charity which matches those in need with donors of all kinds, from food vouchers, to clothes and toiletries, to furniture and fuel; Camilla is their Patron.
Charles and Camilla will pay their respects to the Fallen (MOD)
Highlights of Charles and Camilla’s joint itinerary will see them visit Parliament House, where Charles will address a reception attended by political and community leaders. They will also pay their respects to the Fallen, laying a wreath at the Australian War Memorial and visiting the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander memorial and will conduct a Fleet Review of the Royal Australian Navy, in Sydney Harbour.
Their Majesties will attend a community BBQ in Western Sydney, sampling a range of produce from across New South Wales, experiencing the cultural diversity of Australian communities and meeting local residents.
Charles and Camilla in Samoa
The State Visit to Samoa will celebrate the warm bilateral relationship between the two countries, which has been further strengthened by Samoa’s hosting of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) 2024.
The King and Queen will receive a formal welcome to the country, in the form of an ‘Ava Fa’atupu ceremony, before meeting Samoans at an engagement to highlight Samoan traditions and culture. His Majesty will spend time with young people and community and faith leaders.
Charles and Camilla were last in Australia in 2018 (Clarence House)
The King’s programme will support of one of the key themes of CHOGM – ‘A Resilient Environment’, and the meeting’s focus on oceans by visiting both a mangrove forest and a National Park. He will also plant a tree in Samoa’s Botanical Garden, marking the opening of a new area within the site, which will be called ‘The King’s Garden’.
Meanwhile Her Majesty will visit a traditional Samoan Pastor’s School to see first-hand how pupils are taught to read and write. The Queen will visit the Samoa Victim Support Group, an organisation which assists survivors of domestic violence and sexual abuse, where she will learn more about the services the group provides to those in crisis.
CHOGM 2024
The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa will bring together delegations from 56 countries the globe.
As Head of the Commonwealth, The King, accompanied by The Queen, will attend the CHOGM Opening Ceremony and will host a Dinner for Commonwealth Heads of Government. The King will also host a Reception for New Heads of Government and will attend the CHOGM Business Forum.
Her Majesty will attend a Women’s Forum event on the subject of ‘Advocating for Women and Girls in the Commonwealth’, with a focus on eliminating violence against women and improving health.
1 comment
Fantastic to see the king resuming his passion of helping and encouraging people. Bravo!!