The King will embark on his first royal tour abroad since being diagnosed with cancer, Buckingham Palace has announced.
He will travel to Australia and Samoa in the autumn accompanied by his wife, Queen Camilla.
Charles will attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa and is also expected to visit Sydney and Canberra in October.
Plans to extend the tour to New Zealand and Fiji have been scrapped amid the King’s ongoing cancer treatment.
It is not known whether he will still be receiving treatment at the time of the trip abroad after he was diagnosed with an undisclosed form of the disease in January.
He has continued working throughout this time.
The King will travel to Australia and Samoa in the autumn with his wife Queen Camilla. Pictured: The King and Queen hold koalas in Adelaide, Australia, in November 2012
King Charles talks to an indigenous elder during a traditional welcome ceremony to the country on April 9, 2018
The King and Queen are due to visit Australia and Samoa this autumn, but the couple will not be going to New Zealand due to Charles’ ongoing cancer treatment.
Charles will attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa and is also expected to visit Sydney and Canberra in October. Pictured: The King and Queen at Waitangi, New Zealand, in 2019
Charles is given a grass skirt to wear before being given a chieftaincy title during a visit to the Nakamal of the Chiefs during a visit to the island of Vanuatu in the South Pacific.
Charles and Camilla walk through Broadbeach on the Gold Coast on April 5, 2018 as they attended the opening ceremony of the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games.
But doctors have advised him to make a shorter visit as a precaution and to control his rhythm.
A spokesman said: “The King’s doctors have advised against such a lengthy programme at this time, in order to prioritise Her Majesty’s continued recovery.
‘In close consultation with the Prime Ministers of Australia and New Zealand, and with due regard to time pressures and logistics, it has 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.’
The same reason has been given to explain why the visit to Australia will be shorter than planned and will involve fewer public engagements.
Her spokesman said: “As with all of Her Majesty’s recent engagements, her programme in both countries will be subject to medical advice and any modifications necessary for health reasons.”
However, it is considered surprising that he is undertaking such a long and gruelling journey (30,000 miles door-to-door in total) at the age of 75 and given the health crisis he has recently faced.
The King and Queen pictured in 2015 as they left Perth, Australia, after a tour.
Charles and Camilla during their visit to Orokonui Ecosanctuary on 5 November 2015
Charles meets locals after he and his wife Camilla (not pictured) arrived in Longreach in outback Queensland on November 5, 2012.
The King will embark on his first royal tour abroad since being diagnosed with cancer, Buckingham Palace has announced. Pictured: The King and Queen visit the Senedd
But King Charles appears determined to honour his commitments, with this being his first trip to Australia, where he is also head of state, since ascending to the throne.
According to Australian sources, the king will not be able to take part in events throughout the day, as he will have time to rest. He is expected to visit the Parliament of New South Wales and a major attraction such as the Sydney Opera House.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is also expected to host a formal reception in her honour in Canberra.
Meanwhile, the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa will bring together delegations from 56 countries from Africa, the Caribbean and the Americas, Europe, Asia and the Pacific. The King succeeded his late mother as Head of the Commonwealth.
