The King’s doctors are allowing him to ‘pause’ his cancer treatment in order to fly to Australia for a high-profile royal visit next week.

The 75-year-old monarch will undertake a significant official visit beginning on October 18, taking in Sydney and Canberra, immediately followed by a State Visit to Samoa in the South Pacific where he will attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).

The Mail understands that His Majesty will continue with his ongoing cancer treatment right up until he flies but that his doctors are happy for it to be briefly stopped while he is away.

The King will then pick up with his treatment cycle as soon as he returns to the UK.

Charles,75, was diagnosed with an undisclosed form of the disease in February following prostate surgery and has been receiving weekly treatment ever since.

 

King Charles will undertake a significant official visit to Australia beginning on October 18

 

King Charles and Queen Camilla’s official portrait for the forthcoming Australian tour in which he wears The Sovereign’s Badge of the Order of Australia and the Queen wears the Wattle Brooch given to Queen Elizabeth on her first visit as monarch in 1954

 

Prince Charles, Prince of Wales and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall walk on Broadbeach in the Gold Coast, Australia in April 2018

However the news that the King intends to ‘squeeze in’ a 30,000 mile, 11-day door-to-door trip in-between treatments is both good news in terms of his health – and also emphasises the commitment to duty he has shown since he was first diagnosed.

Buckingham Palace declined to comment.

King and his wife, Queen Camilla, are embarking on a packed schedule with up to ten engagements a day between them during their royal visit – and have only one ‘down day’ of rest.

Sources stress, however, their programme has been organised in close consultation with his doctors and is ‘mindful’ of his health. Engagements have been organised to ‘prioritise’ his continued recovery.

His entourage will, as always, include a travelling doctor – standard practice for the head of state.

The long-awaited trip is hugely significant as it is his first visit to a Realm, of which he is head of state, since becoming King and his first CHOGM as Head of the Commonwealth.

The workaholic royal has been urged to slow down by both his wife and advisors, but sources say he feels ‘energised’ by his work – and it has been important for him mentally to keep to his usual routine at such a challenging time.