King Charles to Meet Australian Cancer Researchers in First Major Tour Since His Diagnosis

King Charles and Queen Camilla’s Australia and Samoa tour itinerary is taking shape.

On Sept. 10, Buckingham Palace shared more information about the King and Queen’s upcoming tour, announcing that the royal couple will be traveling abroad from Friday, Oct. 18 to Saturday, Oct. 26. The visit is significant as it’s the monarch’s first tour to Commonwealth countries since he became King. It also marks his first major international trip following his cancer diagnosis earlier this year.

“Their Majesties The King and Queen will undertake an Autumn Tour from Friday 18th – Saturday 26th October 2024. This will include a Royal Visit to Australia, State Visit to The Independent State of Samoa and attendance at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) 2024,” the palace said in a statement, verifying speculation that the King would attend CHOGM, which kicks off in Samoa on Oct. 21. The summit is held biennially, and Charles is head of the Commonwealth association of 56 nations.

“The King’s visit to Australia will be His Majesty’s first to a Realm as Monarch, whilst the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa is the first The King will attend as Head of the Commonwealth,” it continued. “In both countries, Their Majesties’ engagements will focus on themes designed to celebrate the best of Australia and Samoa, as well as reflecting aspects of The King and Queen’s work.”

The palace gave a rundown of the busy schedule the King and Queen plan to pack into nine days, from a kickoff with the Australian prime minister and visits to the Australian War Memorial and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander memorial to the National Botanic Gardens. The statement alluded that the King and Queen, 77, will make some separate engagements, and said that the sovereign will meet with two pioneering medical experts in melanoma treatment.

“The King, who has this year been receiving treatment for cancer, 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, one of Australia’s most common cancers,” the palace outlined.

Long and Scolyer are both professors at the University of Sydney and co-medical directors of the  Melanoma Institute Australia, and won the award together for their work to save lives from skin cancer.

After Scolyer was diagnosed with incurable brain cancer in June 2023, Long developed a series of groundbreaking treatments inspired by melanoma breakthroughs. He later became the world’s first brain cancer patient to undergo pre-surgery combination immunotherapy, “an experimental treatment hoping to advance the understanding of brain cancer,” according to the Australian of the Year Awards.

The King’s meeting with the professors will have added meaning as it’s understood that he is continuing his own cancer treatment. The palace announced in February that the sovereign was diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer following his treatment for a benign enlarged prostate in January. A spokesman clarified he does not have prostate cancer.

After a three-month period of postponing public-facing duties, the King, 75, resumed forward-facing work on April 30 and has been busy ever since.

When his return to work was announced in late April, Buckingham Palace described the King’s treatment as ongoing and shared a positive sentiment from his doctors.

“His Majesty’s treatment program will continue, but doctors are sufficiently pleased with the progress made so far that The King is now able to resume a number of public-facing duties. Forthcoming engagements will be adapted where necessary to minimize any risks to His Majesty’s continued recovery,” a Buckingham Palace spokesperson said at the time.

With that being said, while King Charles and Queen Camilla would typically visit the Commonwealth country of New Zealand during a long-distance trip to Australia, it had been ruled out due to medical advice. A spokesperson previously explained that “the King’s doctors have advised that such an extended program should be avoided at this time, to prioritize His Majesty’s continued recovery.”

“In close consultation with the Australian and New Zealand Prime Ministers, and with due regard for the pressures of time and logistics, it has therefore been agreed to limit the visit to Samoa and Australia only,” the spokesperson said when the Australia and Samoa trip was announced in July.

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Buckingham Palace added that the royals “send their warmest thanks and good wishes to all parties for their continued support and understanding.”

During a solo engagement to open a new cancer center at the Royal United Hospital in Bath, England on Sept. 3, Queen Camilla said her husband was “doing very well” when a well-wisher asked after him, the Mirror reported.

Other plans for the couple’s autumn tour include a community barbecue in Western Sydney, outings for the Queen connected to her work on literacy and ending domestic violence, an ‘Ava Fa’atupu ceremony welcome in Samoa, stops for the King reflecting themes of sustainability and biodiversity, a key theme of CHOGM and joint appearance at the CHOGM opening ceremony plus a dinner and reception.

Queen Camilla will also attend an event around “Advocating for Women and Girls in the Commonwealth,” with gender and women’s equality key themes of CHOGM.