Queen Camilla’s fear of flying another brake on Aussie royal visit

Queen Camilla is a big reason why King Charles won’t be rushing to visit Australia, with few visits likely in the future. See why.

In all the hoopla over King Charles’ musings on whether he would be welcome in a republic rousing Australia, there is a more practical reason he is not rushing over – Queen Camilla.

While the King has made much of his love of flying and got a private pilot’s licence in 1970 Camilla has a fear of flying and a loathing for long distances.

In 2015 she revealed exclusively her fondness for Australian food and wine, particularly Victorian wagyu, South Australian Kingfish and Barossa Valley reds, Hunter Valley (NSW) white and Tasmanian pinots, but she could not stomach regular visits down under.

Camilla, the then Duchess of Cornwall attends a reception to mark Australia Day in London getting cooking lesson from Lynton Tapp. Picture: Ella Pellegrini

“Australian food is out of this world,” she enthused. “I love the food and wine industry, I have a son who is a foodie, who writes a lot about food, my father was in the wine business so they are two things very, very close to my heart.

“I have sampled Australia’s fine wine and delicious food and I know that us here in Britain have a very strong competitor over the water and as I said I hope to come (again) and sample a lot more. But I hate flying, oh yeah I really do … can’t stand it.”

Charles and Camilla try local wines during a visit to Albany, WA in November 2015. Picture: AAP

Despite this she said she realised she would have to make the odd visit.

Her flying fear was no doubt not helped late last year when, while King Charles made preparations for his Coronation, she made a solo British Airways Boeing 777-200ER flight from Bangalore to Heathrow that reportedly suffered a bird strike on final approach.

Days before his Coronation, it was reported King Charles was in conversation with Australian diplomats about a proposed trip to Australia and, given the republic debate, asked “but will I be welcome?”

Such has been Queen Camilla’s passion for Australian food, Northern Territory born Melbourne-based chef Lynton Tapp was in 2015 flown over to London on a mission so secret he was not even allowed to tell his family.

The Prince of Wales Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall Camilla have flown before to Australia

The MasterChef Australia 2013 runner up cooked for Camilla while she stood over him to watch his expertise, asking questions constantly particularly about his use of Australian bush herbs and seasonings.