Preparations ramp up for King Charles visit to Canberra

It is expected that should His Majesty be free to travel after his current cancer treatment, a royal visit to Australia will happen around the next Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Samoa in October. The Canberra Times understands that the Albanese government will begin engaging this week with states and territories over a possible royal visit, including Queen Camilla.

Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles expects a royal visit would be warmly welcomed in Australia.

"I think people care. And you're right - we are very much thinking about King Charles at the moment in terms of his battle with cancer. But King Charles has a long connection with this country. Obviously, he went to school in his youth here in Australia, and this would be his first visit to Australia as the King," he told the ABC on Monday.

"And I think that there is an affection for King Charles. I know that King Charles has a deep affection for Australia."

Just last week, ACT Policing said it would be dealing with "multiple high office holder visits to Canberra in 2024" and sought to remind Canberran drivers to obey police orders and be patient when local traffic was adversely affected by motorcades.

If the Canberra leg is confirmed, it would be his first visit to the national capital in nine years and the first by the sovereign in 13 years.

The British monarch, who is Australia's head of state, has continued to perform state duties behind the scenes while being treated for an unspecified type of cancer.

"Australia is preparing for a possible visit from His Majesty The King to Australia later this year," Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in a statement.

"The King has shown his compassion for Australians affected by recent natural disasters, just as Australians have shown compassion and support for the King following his cancer diagnosis.

"The King, Queen and members of the Royal Family are always welcome in Australia."

Buckingham Palace announced in early February the 75-year-old monarch had begun regular cancer treatments and would postpone public duties.

The engagement with the states and territories over the royal visit kicks off negotiations over what the King and Queen would do while in Australia, although there will be a limited number of worthy events on the subsequent itinerary.

Should the royal visit go ahead, it would be the first one by a reigning monarch since Queen Elizabeth's visit to Australia for the CHOGM event in Perth in 2011.

Her Majesty visited Canberra, Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth during that tour.

The King has made 15 official visits to Australia as Prince of Wales, most recently in 2018 to open the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.

The then Prince of Wales and the then Duchess of Cornwall last visited Canberra in 2015. The trip to the national capital included a visit to the National Arboretum.