Cooking with truffles, planting trees at the arboretum, observing Remembrance Day, touring the National Museum, meeting politicians – Charles and Camilla will be kept on their toes when they visit Canberra on Wednesday.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Many events are not open to the public and the advice is that the best place to see the royal couple will be at the Remembrance Day service at the Australian War Memorial from about 10.30am.
They are due to fly into Fairbairn earlier in the morning and head straight to the memorial to join the national Remembrance Day ceremony, marking the 97th anniversary of the armistice in 1918 that ended the First World War.
A highlight for the one-day visit will be a trip by the Duchess of Cornwall to French Black Truffles of Canberra in the Majura Valley.
Camilla is expected to trek through a paddock watching dogs and pigs hunt for truffles, accompanied by manager Jayson Mesman and owner Sherry McCardle-English.
Sage restaurant executive chef Damian Brabender will also be at the farm to show the duchess how to cook with truffles.
He is no stranger to royalty, having worked at the Royal Opera House in Convent Garden and met Prince Charles and Queen Elizabeth in the past.
But Mr Brabender is most excited about the opportunity to highlight to the royals, and their trailing media pack, the richness of the foodie experience in the Canberra region.
"People sit down on their couches and watch TV cooking shows in Spain and France but don't realise we have a food experience that is just as good, if not better, and it's just 10 minutes down the road," he said.
Prince Charles will visit the National Museum of Australia around lunchtime.
Both royals are expected to plant trees at the National Arboretum Canberra after 2pm, accompanied by Chief Minister Andrew Barr.
The arboretum's executive manager Stephen Alegria said each would plant a freefall pin oak, a "much-loved Canberra tree" developed by the late Dr Robert Boden in the 1960s.
The trees will be the first of an avenue of pin oaks to be planted on the redeveloped events terrace, he said.
"It's just a really great opportunity to showcase the arboretum and it's a privilege for them to want to visit the arboretum, so we're very happy to host them," Mr Alegria said.
Children from Giralang Primary School will accompany the royal highnesses through the Discovery Garden.
The school's acting deputy principal Natalie Garrett said the school was a friend of the arboretum.
"It's definitely exciting," she said. "We have a very close connection with the arboretum. The children got to meet Will and Kate when they visited last year. They are always excited to meet the royals."
The Woden Valley Youth Choir will also sing Growing Into Me, a song the choir composed with pianist Sally Whitwell, about the arboretum.
Charles and Camilla will spend the afternoon at Government House, where they will meet Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten. They are also expected to meet with members of the Soldier On organisation.
