King Charles's and Queen Camilla's potential royal tour of Australia has been cast in doubt following the monarch's surprise cancer diagnosis, commentators have claimed.
Buckingham Palace announced the King's diagnosis on Monday and confirmed he will be stepping back from royal duties as he undergoes treatment.
The Palace did not disclose what form of cancer the King has, however, did acknowledge it was unrelated to his prostate surgery in January.
Consequently, King Charles's plans to visit Australia in 2024 are now uncertain.
King Charles and Queen Camilla were reportedly planning to visit Australia this year
Getty
Reports of an Australian royal tour first emerged in late 2023, with sources close to the Royal Family claiming the King and Queen would be visiting Oceania in October 2024.
"King Charles is planning to visit Australia and New Zealand in October," a source told the Sydney Morning Herald in December.
"It would be next October, it's very possible it will happen … it would be around the time of CHOGM that he would come," a source in the Albanese government added.
It was understood that the royal tour would coincide with the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Samoa, which King Charles was set to attend in October.
King Charles and Queen Camilla have not visited Australia since 2018
GettyRoyal commentator Dickie Arbiter reiterated that an Australian tour had never been confirmed by the Palace.
He said: "Quite frankly, we don't know anything at the moment. It's speculation."
Arbiter continued telling Today: "The problem is you have to find a big window… you can't do three days in Australia."
Many Australian royal fans were excited by the rumours, eager to see the King return to the country for the first time in eight years.
Buckingham Palace's full statement on King Charles' cancer diagnosisBuckingham Palace
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Queen Camilla performed daily duties last week providing updates on the King's healthReutersHe and Queen Camilla last visited Australia in 2018, back when they were the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall.
Even if King Charles's cancer treatment is successful, a major royal tour for this year remains uncertain.
The monarch's health is expected to be the Royal Family's main priority in the months ahead, with senior royals like Prince William and Queen Camilla stepping up while Charles undergoes treatment.