William and Catherine to visit Australia before King Charles
William and Catherine could tour Australia next year ahead of King Charles III’s first visit as head of state.
William and Catherine could tour Australia early next year ahead of King Charles III’s first royal visit as head of state, as part of plans for a goodwill push by Buckingham Palace to cement the new monarchy in the wake of Queen Elizabeth II’s death.
The King’s first visit to Australia since taking the throne is expected to be raised during the visit of Anthony Albanese and Governor-General David Hurley to London for the Queen’s funeral next week.
The Palace is actively considering a visit by William and Catherine – possibly with their children George, Charlotte and Louis – soon after the King’s coronation with the King and Queen Consort Camilla expected to follow later.
The King addressed both House of the British parliament on Monday for the first time as sovereign in the nearly 1000-year-old Westminster Hall. He said he felt the weight of history as he took the throne and vowed to uphold the Constitution.
Quoting Shakespeare on the first Queen Elizabeth, the King said his mother was “a pattern to all princes living” as he accepted parliamentary condolences.
“I cannot help but feel the weight of history which surrounds us, and which reminds us of the vital parliamentary traditions to which members of both houses dedicate yourselves with such personal commitment to the betterment of as all,” the King told British MPs and Lords.
“We gather in remembrance of the remarkable span of the Queen’s dedicated service to her nations and peoples … She sets an example of selfless duty which, with God’s help and your counsel, I am resolved faithfully to follow.”
The King’s second son, Prince Harry, on Monday paid tribute to his “sorely missed” grandmother, and also vowed to honour his father.
In a statement, Harry mirrored the conciliatory tone shown when meeting wellwishers with wife Meghan alongside his brother and sister in law, the Prince and Princess of Wales on Saturday outside the gates of Windsor Castle.
Harry said of the Queen: “We smile knowing that you and Grandpa are reunited now, and both together in peace.”
In Canberra, the Prime Minister rejected criticism of his decision to call a public holiday next week for an Australian memorial service and his use of a private jet to take him and other Pacific island nation leaders to the Queen’s funeral.
While the details of any royal tours are still to be finalised by Buckingham Palace as they bed down a firm date for the coronation, it is understood William and Catherine may bring their children to Australia next year during a British school holiday period.
Charles, who is extremely fond of Australia, would tour the nation at “an early opportunity” in his reign, a royal source said.
The King put aside a trip to commemorate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee this year because of the May federal election.
But the King and Camilla are expected to come after William and Kate for a longer trip, partly due to the Queen Consort’s difficulties with long travel.
Charles was in discussions in the weeks before the Queen’s death to visit Sydney in late 2024 for the 200th anniversary of the NSW parliament, but all of the King’s travel plans are now up in the air due to the coronation.
On Sunday as the Queen’s body began a long journey from Balmoral to Edinburgh, the King hosted a reception with Commonwealth Realm High Commissioners, including Australia’s acting high commissioner Lynnette Wood at Buckingham Palace.
The King intervened to ensure that Australia’s representative, along with other Five Eyes security countries, New Zealand and Canada, were front row in the royal box at the parliamentary condolence motion of both houses of parliament.
Ms Wood has the distinction of being the first Australian diplomat to meet the new monarch, and was a member of the Accession Council that formally approved King Charles on Saturday.
The acting High Commissioner said on Sunday evening that she had been able to convey personally to the King and Queen Consort the condolences of the government and people of Australia.
“As you know, the King has a deep and broad relationship with Australia and His Majesty’s affection for our country was evident in our brief conversation this afternoon,” Ms Wood said.
“Having visited Australia 16 times including studying in Victoria, His Majesty knows Australia very well.
“What has really struck me these past few days is the solemnity here in London and the regard with which Her Majesty has held and the strong support that is already there for King Charles III.”
Ms Wood was also engaged in discussion with Camilla at the Buckingham Palace audience, where the two enjoyed a cup of English breakfast tea.
Charles, 73, adores Australia, and Australian’s larrikin spirit, but Camilla, who is 75, suffers from terrible jet lag, and would require time for an extended trip.
On her previous tour to Australia when Charles opened the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, Camilla spent days beforehand recovering from jet lag at one of the farms owned by one of Australia’s richest men, Michael Hintze.
Insiders have suggested there won’t be a repeat of the Queen’s lengthy six-month Commonwealth tour in late 1953 and early 1954 when she and the Duke of Edinburgh visited 13 Commonwealth realms after Elizabeth’s coronation.
Mr Albanese said on Monday the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Royal Australian Air Force were examining how Australia could assist Pacific island Commonwealth countries to attend Queen Elizabeth’s funeral.
“In some cases, it will require Australia to go to their countries in order to pick people up if that’s available,” the Prime Minister said.
“We’re talking about, in some cases, very small island nations that in particular have a need for support … It is important that we continue to provide whatever support that we do for the Pacific family.”
Mr Albanese and General Hurley are expected to arrive in London on Friday for the Queen’s funeral next Monday.
Mr Albanese also defended the public holiday after a backlash from doctors and retailers over his decision to declare Thursday, September 22 a public holiday for a national memorial service for the Queen, and claimed surgeries would not be disrupted by his moves.
“The idea that operations don’t occur during a public holiday is of course not correct. Medical procedures, of course, are always a priority,” he said in Canberra.
“A one-off public holiday and a national day of mourning is an appropriate response. It was agreed to by myself and the premiers and chief ministers.”
Additional reporting: Joe Kelly, Rosie Lewis
More Coverage
Economists urge RBA to follow US and spare the rates cut knife
After the US Federal Reserve kept rates on hold for the first time since July, JudoBank chief economic adviser Warren Hogan said it was ‘very much a cautionary tale for the RBA’.
PM defends silence around caravan plot detail amid Dutton criticism
Peter Dutton has renewed attacks on the government's anti-Semitism response as the PM rejects calls to reveal when he was briefed about the caravan plot that had potential to be 'the most catastrophic terrorist attack'.