I never imagined that I would be penning those words eight months ago.
Buckingham Palace declared in February that the King had cancer and that, under medical advice, all of his “public-facing duties” had to end.
A journey to Australia seemed unimaginable at the time. For a 75-year-old who has been diagnosed with cancer and is starting treatment, a 24-hour flight, a punishing time change, and days of royal engagements would undoubtedly be too much.
However, royal officials never entirely eliminated the possibility of this trip; instead, they used cautious language whenever it was brought up.
They would say things like “it hasn’t been ruled out,” “decisions will be made on the advice of doctors,” and “the King needs to focus on cancer treatment first.”
By the end of the spring, there were indications that the visit would still go.
Working with the Foreign Office and the governments of Australia and New Zealand, a portion of the King’s team visited Australia and Samoa to determine what was feasible and to finalize preparations.
Would the King be able to handle the demands of the tour? Yes, but with some significant modifications.
