Why King Charles and Queen Camilla avoided outings on second day of Australia royal tour

King Charles and Queen Camilla chose not to undertake any public engagements on the second day of their highly-anticipated royal tour of Australia.

While the royal couple had been warmly received upon their arrival and participated in a handful of events on the first day, they took a calmer approach the following day, opting to remain out of the public eye.

Their visit Down Under began on Friday, but Their Majesties decided to take a "rest day" during the high-profile six-day trip, likely to help them adjust to the time difference and recharge their batteries ahead of their busy schedule.

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This visit to Australia will be His Majesty's most significant overseas tour since his cancer diagnosis and his first to Australia as the nation's head of state whilst the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa is the first the King will attend as Head of the Commonwealth.

The King is said to be pausing his cancer treatment during the long-haul trip, but will restart the treatment as soon as he returns to the UK.

The 75-year-old monarch was diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer in February, after receiving treatment for an enlarged prostate. During the royal tour, the King and Queen will meet locals and tuck into produce at the community barbecue – a staple of Australian culture – in western Sydney.

They will also be officially welcomed by Mr Albanese in Canberra, and will meet two Australian professors hailed for their pivotal research on melanoma skin cancer and review the Australian naval fleet in Sydney Harbour.

The programme of engagements has been designed to give the King time to rest and recover from the many hours he will spend flying during his trip.

A Buckingham Palace spokesman previously said: "We've had to, as you would with any visit, think about how you can ensure their Majesty's energies are preserved to be at their best."

They added: "There had been some hope earlier in the year for their Majesties to be able to visit New Zealand. On doctor's advice, and in close consultation with the Australian and New Zealand governments, that wasn't able to take place. We've had to make some difficult decisions about the programme with the Australian government, about where their Majesties can get to."

After the Australian leg, Charles will attend events in Samoa looking at sustainability and biodiversity, while the Queen will focus on her interests of literacy and domestic violence and sexual abuse.

The King will then gather with world leaders in Samoa's capital and only city Apia for his first Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) since he became monarch and head of the Commonwealth.