Prince William and Kate planning a visit to Australian bushfire zones
Prince William and his wife Kate are planning a trip to Australia to visit bushfire-ravaged communities and just need an invitation from Prime Minister Scott Morrison to make it official.
NSW
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The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are planning a tour Down Under to support communities ravaged by bushfires this summer.
It is understood Prince William and his wife Kate are considering a special visit to coastal towns in NSW and Victoria hit hardest by the devastating fires.
Kensington House – which represents the young royals – is in the early stages of negotiations with the Morrison government for the tour to go ahead.
Australia would have to then issue a formal invitation to the Duke and Duchess for further organising to begin.
It is understood the Federal Government and Kensington Palace have been in discussions about the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visiting bushfire affected areas at an appropriate time, however no dates or locations have been settled.
It’s expected Prime Minister Scott Morrison will formally write to the Palace with suggested dates and a proposed program later this week.
It would be the couple’s first visit to the country since 2014.
Tourism Minister Simon Birmingham said a visit from the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge would be a “major win” for Australia’s tourism industry.
“This would be a huge opportunity to get the message out there that Australia is open for business and that we want tourists to visit,” he told The Daily Telegraph.
“It would be fantastic if we could project vision of Kate and William visiting our incredible tourism regions to hundreds of millions of viewers around the world.”
The Duke and Duchess offered their condolences to bushfire victims in a statement last month.
“We continue to be shocked and deeply saddened to hear about the fires that are destroying homes, livelihoods and wildlife across much of Australia,” the statement said.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with all the people and communities who are affected by this devastating event.
“We send our deepest condolences to the families and friends of those who have tragically lost their lives, and the brave firefighters who continue to risk their own lives to save the lives of others.”
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Prince Charles also delivered a heartfelt message to Australia at the time, saying he and his wife Camilla had been shocked by the “appalling horror” of the bushfire crisis.
“We wanted to say how much we’ve been thinking of all those remarkable, courageous, determined firefighters, who’ve done so much and worked ceaselessly to exhaustion,” he said.
“Those of you who have tragically lost your properties, your houses, everything, to me it is and to both of us, not to be believed possible.”
Prince Charles said he believed Australia would find a way to “face it all and win through”.
“All I can say is that we are thinking of you, we are praying for you,” he said.
Prince William previously visited flood damaged areas of Queensland and Victoria in March 2011.
He also visited New Zealand in April 2019 after the Christchurch mosque attack.
WHAT A ROYAL VISIT MEANS TO BUSHFIRE TOWNS
Locals in the bushfire-ravaged NSW South Coast hope a potential royal visit by Prince William and his wife, Catherine, will help the region rebuild. Prime Minister Scott Morrison is expected to issue a formal invitation to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge later this week after being in discussions with Kensington Palace about the bushfire tour.
Bega Valley Shire Council mayor Kristy McBain says the visit would be positive because it would keep the devastated community in the forefront of everyone’s mind.
“The spotlight that follows the royals would transfer to the area,” the mayor told AAP on Tuesday.
“It’s really nice they get how important it is to use their presence and their stature to highlight how important it is to rebuild and assist small Australian communities.” It’s hoped a visit by the British royals would boost tourism to the area after the bushfires drove many businesses to the brink during what is usually their peak season.
“Any additional visitors to our area would be a benefit to a number of our small businesses,” Ms McBain said.
Mogo Wildlife Park director Chad Staples says any publicity for the region is good.
The wildlife park was forced to temporarily close while staff worked to protect animals from fires over summer.
“It’s nice we’re at least on the radar,” he told AAP on Tuesday. “Even if it gives one person a positive moment it’s good.” Mr Staples hopes a visit by William and Kate will encourage others to return to the “beautiful” part of Australia.
The trip would be William’s fifth visit to Australia and the couple’s first since 2014.
No dates or locations for the potential bushfire tour have been settled as yet. The prime minister is expected to propose a program in his official letter to the palace.
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