05 April 2024 , 14:13
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King Charles will reportedly travel to a poignant location next week after an encouraging response to his cancer treatment.
The monarch, 75, along with Queen Camilla, is expected to leave London and head to Scotland so he and his wife can spend time at their beloved Birkhall, close to the Balmoral estate. Next week, the King and Queen will mark 19 years of marriage after tying the knot on April 9, 2005. A return to the Scottish Highlands retreat would see the couple spend their special day in the place where they enjoyed their honeymoon almost 20 years ago after their wedding in Windsor.
Charles and Camilla will celebrate their 19th anniversary on Tuesday (Getty Images)Charles is currently undergoing treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer, which is said to be going well. He has continued with duties of state behind palace walls but has postponed public-facing duties. However, last weekend, he delighted well-wishers when he appeared at an Easter Sunday church service at Windsor Castle before waving at the crowds and chatting to those gathered outside. The King, who is having weekly treatment for the disease, shook as many hands as possible with royal fans and when one said "get well soon" he replied: "I’m doing my best."
The move has been regarded as a positive step amid his treatment and now the monarch has reportedly told aides he's "raring to go" for a trip to Australia later this year and is expected to travel to Birkhall next week, The Sun reports. The scheduled autumn visit Down Under is just months away, with both Charles and Camilla set to visit Australia, New Zealand and Samoa in October as part of a Commonwealth visit which would involve 21-hour flights over 20,000 miles.
Charles and Camilla together at Birkhall in 2020 (CLARENCE HOUSE/AFP via Getty Ima)While the official line from Buckingham Palace is that "nothing is ruled in or out", sources have claimed the King and his doctors were feeling extremely optimistic following his Easter Sunday appearance which went without a hitch. "The King is raring to go after a significant amount of time off due to his cancer diagnosis," an insider told the publication.
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“Although his doctors are keeping an eye on his health, he's itching to take the reins and get back to his public role as Head of State. He’s over the moon with the way treatment has gone and supercharging plans for Australia, New Zealand and Samoa."
The October tour will likely be pared back from the original itinerary, insiders have claimed, with more "down-time" to not over-exert the King following his treatment. The Australia trip will be the King and Queen's biggest overseas undertaking so far as serving monarchs, with insiders adding the King was keen to fill his late mother's shoes. Queen Elizabeth was the only serving sovereign to set foot in Australia, visiting 16 times during her reign - the first in 1954 and last in 2011.
Meanwhile, a busy summer looks to be on the horizon for the Royal Family with annual events such as Royal Ascot and Trooping the Colour looming as well as the 80th anniversary commemorations of the D-Day landings.
Speaking after the King's walkabout on Easter Sunday, one royal source said: "Today was a significant step. The King has responded to treatment encouragingly over the past weeks and his doctors were able to adjust their guidance slightly on what he is now able to undertake, including attendance at the Easter service and greeting well-wishers who had kindly turned out to show their support. His Majesty’s treatment continues and caution is the watchword.
"But as diary plans are evolved towards summer, we hope to see more of these carefully calibrated steps towards the resumption of public-facing duties for The King, with adjustments where necessary. There is great hope and optimism from both doctors and the patient."