King Charles III’s cancer diagnosis came as a shock. It blindsided everyone, not least the House of Windsor. The 75-year-old had a packed and important schedule planned for 2024, which included a visit to Australian and New Zealand shores – his first as monarch.
While the tour hadn’t been formally announced, it seemed fair to speculate that the King would hop over this way before or after the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa in October and a newspaper leak all but confirmed it. Now those plans are on hold.
Diagnosis aside, it feels like only yesterday that we were watching Charles kneeling in front of Westminster Abbey’s high altar, having been anointed with holy oil, his
