London, Thanasis Gavos

The British royal couple’s nine-day tour of Oceania begins today, starting in Australia.

Despite the diagnosis of an unspecified form of cancer King Charles he had aimed to make this trip as his treatment progressed, details of which have also not been disclosed. This treatment will be temporarily stopped with the consent of his doctors.

Accompanied by Queen Camilla, he will make visits to Australia designed to highlight the country’s cultural wealth and strength, before attending the Commonwealth Heads of State Summit in Samoa, the first meeting with him as head of the organization since death of Queen Elizabeth.

The trip to Australia includes a visit to parliament in Canberra, where the royal couple will be received by Prime Minister Anthony Alpmanese, Charles’ speech at a reception with prominent Australians, a wreath-laying ceremony at the war memorial, a visit to an Aboriginal memorial and meetings on sustainability and environmental protection.

There will also be a royal inspection of the Australian war fleet in Sydney Harbour, a meeting with pioneering doctors in the treatment of melanoma, and participation in a large barbecue with residents and agencies of Western Sydney.

In Samoa, on October 23, the royal couple will be welcomed with the traditional island ceremony of Awa Fa’atupu and will have the opportunity to get to know the customs, traditions and youth of the country up close.

As part of the Commonwealth meeting, King Charles will host a dinner for the leaders present.

The tour will end on October 26.

The visit takes place under draconian security measures and, as far as Australians are concerned, brings back to the fore the issue of the abolition of the constitutional monarchy and the adoption of the polity of parliamentary democracy.

The announcement by the prime ministers of the country’s six states that they will not attend Monday’s big reception in Canberra in honor of the king has caused intense debate in the country.

As the Daily Mail revealed a few days ago, in an exchange of letters with the anti-monarchy organization Australian Movement for Democracy, Buckingham Palace confirmed that the decision on whether Australia will become a democracy “is a matter for the Australian people to decide”.