King Charles aims to defy health challenges to attend crucial Commonwealth meeting

King Charles will attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Samoa on October 21 and embark on a tour of Australia later this year.

According to the Daily Express, Buckingham Palace officials are currently reviewing a foreign visit schedule and have initiated preliminary plans for a scaled-down Commonwealth tour.

King Charles, 75, who was initially expected to attend the 27th CHOGM before his cancer diagnosis, has now received clearance to participate following an improvement in his health. “The King has instructed staff to push full steam ahead with plans for the visit,” a source revealed to the Daily Express. “He sees it as an important part of the Commonwealth and holding the union together. His health is improving, and he feels confident that he will be able to make an appearance at the CHOGM event.”

The 27th CHOGM will be the first under King Charles’ reign and will mark the first time this high-level meeting is hosted by a small island state in Samoa. The meeting will bring together 56 member countries from across Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, and the Pacific.

“The Monarch’s attendance at the CHOGM is being viewed as instrumental in preserving Commonwealth unity,” the source added. “Charles feels it is important to show his support for the Commonwealth and demonstrate what the union can do for them. He wants to emphasise the positive aspects of being part of the union and dispel the myth that the Commonwealth is just a colony.”

Palace aides are also planning a site visit to strategize the King’s visit to Australia. This visit is deemed crucial for maintaining Australia's allegiance to the Commonwealth, particularly as calls for a republic gain momentum in the country.