On his first overseas trip since he was diagnosed with cancer, King Charles offered Australian lawmakers the gift of time, a heartbreaking reminder of the “brevity” of life.
After only 10 minutes of his arrival, the monarch left the lunch event held in his honor, sparking concerns that cancer is limiting his ability to serve his royal duties.
During her reign, Queen Elizabeth II famously said, “I have to be seen to be believed,” a principal closely followed by her son, King Charles.
In his first overseas trip since he since he announced his cancer diagnosis in February, the king traveled down under to meet with the Commonwealth Heads of State and to “be seen” by the public.
According to the Daily Mail, the monarch, who turns 76 on November 14, was told by doctors that he can “pause” his cancer treatment for 11 days when he and Queen Camilla are on their royal tour.
The outlet reports that the king would “continue with his ongoing cancer treatment right up until he flies” and would “pick up” his treatment “as soon as he returns to the U.K.,” after the 30,000 mile round trip.
On October 19, following an almost 22-hour flight, Charles was greeted by throngs of Australians who lined the streets leading to parliament, hoping to catch a glimpse of the king as he made his way to the New South Wales hall, where a lunch was being held in his honor.
The king was visiting NWS’ legislative council that’s celebrating its bicentenary this year. He arrived in good spirits, joking with the welcoming crowds that it was “slightly worrying” that he had first been in Australia almost 60 years ago.
A much younger Charles was also in Australia for commemorations marking the 150th anniversary of the Legislative Council in 1974.
On this visit, the monarch was invited for a lunch with a menu “fit for a king“: chargrilled asparagus and olive dust; marinated octopus and squid ink wafer; barramundi and duck confit.
Before lunch started, Charles presented parliament with an hourglass “figure”speech timer,” a gift he said symbolizes the “passage of time.”
The hourglass stands on a cedar base with wood supplied from the King’s Highgrove home and is handmade by the Goldsmiths’ Centre in London.
“With the sands of time encouraging brevity, it just remains for me to say what a great joy it is to come to Australia for the first time as sovereign and to renew a love of this country and its people which I have cherished for so long,” Charles told Parliament.
He ended his brief speech by saying, “So thank you. Thank you. Thank you for making me feel so very welcome. Thank you.”
Flipping the hourglass himself, the assembly watched as sand slowly slipped through the bulb. Seconds later, the king departed, missing the first course of the meal that was given in his honor.
He was only there for 10 minutes, speculating concerns that his battle with cancer is impacting his ability to serve his royal duties.
Weighing in on the demands of his 11-day trip, royal expert Daniela Elser writes of the king’s resilience and says his commitment is a story “about a sick man who [is] doggedly determined to pause his cancer treatment to fly 44 hours round-trip for a whistlestop visit, and all at considerable risk.”
“It’s hard to ignore the signs of the wear that the events of this year are taking on the king,” she adds.
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