King Charles has ditched the traditional “walkabout” ahead of his upcoming royal visit to Australia to avoid offending indigenous Australians.
Charles III, 75, and Queen Camilla, 77, will visit Sydney and Canberra from October 18 to 22 before the couple ends their tour in Samoa on October 26.
The term “walkabout” was first coined by the late Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip during Her Majesty’s royal visit to Australia and New Zealand in 1970.
It refers to an informal way in which members of the royal family meet with the public.
The phrase in indigenous culture describes a symbolic period of time of change, meditation and pain when a person travels into the bush on foot.
The official itinerary states that the “royal stroll” will be replaced by “an opportunity to meet the public.”
The King and Duchess of Cornwall are expected to interact with hundreds of well-wishers in both Australia and Samoa during their short visit.
The tour will mark Her Majesty’s first visit since her accession to the throne.
Charles III and Queen Camilla (pictured in 2012) will visit Sydney and Canberra from 18 to 22 October before the couple ends their tour in Samoa on the 26th.
The official itinerary states that the “royal stroll” will be replaced by “an opportunity to meet the public” (pictured, Charles with an indigenous elder in 2018).
It will also be the first visit to Australia by a reigning monarch since 2011, when Queen Elizabeth II made her last tour of Australia, and Charles’ 17th official royal visit.
Her Majesty will meet with Australians, who have been recognised for their contributions to a range of industries, including arts, culture and sport.
The King is also expected to visit the Australian War Memorial in Canberra to honour soldiers and war veterans, according to an itinerary released by Buckingham Palace.
He is scheduled to attend discussions on efforts to combat wildfires that affect communities during the summer each year.
The King and Queen will also attend a community barbecue in western Sydney and meet with locals in the area.
Charles was forced to cancel a planned trip to New Zealand on health advice following his cancer diagnosis earlier this year.
Instead, he will conclude his tour by travelling to Samoa to attend a Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).
The King and Queen’s official itinerary (pictured on the Gold Coast in 2018) states that the “royal walkabout” will be replaced by “an opportunity to meet the public”.
She provided a rare health update while addressing the New Zealand women’s rugby team at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday.
“I am very sorry that I cannot come to New Zealand at the end of October due to doctor’s orders, but I hope there will be another excuse soon,” he told them.
The King has continued to work throughout his treatment and Buckingham Palace officials have said his current treatment is going “very well”.
A palace spokesman said the upcoming royal visit would be scaled back to take into account Her Majesty’s health needs.
“We have had to think, as we would with any visit, about how we can ensure that Their Majesties’ energies are preserved so that they are at their best,” the spokesman said.
“We have had to make some difficult decisions about the program with the Australian Government and how far Their Majesties can go.”
