What does King Charles do and how has cancer changed his duties?

King Charles and Queen Camilla are travelling to Australia.

It is the King’s 17th visit to the country, and his biggest overseas trip since he began treatment for cancer in February.

He resumed public duties in April after a temporary pause following his diagnosis.

How did King Charles’s cancer diagnosis change his duties?

King Charles was diagnosed with cancer in February 2024, and began treatment shortly afterwards.

Although he withdrew from public events in the weeks after his cancer was revealed, the King continued with his constitutional role as head of state, completing paperwork and holding private meetings.

His weekly sessions with the prime minister also carried on.

The King’s first major public appearance after his diagnosis was on Easter Sunday, when he and the Queen greeted crowds after a church service in Windsor.

He resumed his public duties at the end of April, when he visited a cancer treatment centre with Queen Camilla.

PA Media Charles holds hands with cancer patient Asha Millan — The King met a number of cancer patients, and talked of his shock at his own diagnosis

He also made a surprise visit to an army barracks in Hampshire, where he joked about having been “allowed out of my cage”.

In June he attended the Trooping of the Colour ceremony, where Catherine, Princess of Wales, made her much anticipated first public appearance after her own cancer diagnosis.

What does the King do?

The King is the UK head of state, but his powers are largely symbolic and ceremonial. He remains politically neutral.

He receives daily dispatches from the government in a red leather box, including briefings ahead of important meetings, or documents needing his signature.

The prime minister normally meets the King on a Wednesday at Buckingham Palace.

These meetings are completely private, and no official records are kept of what is said.

What will the King do in Australia?

The King and Queen will be in Australia from 18 to 26 October before travelling to Samoa for the Commonwealth heads of government meeting (CHOGM).

An accompanying trip to New Zealand was scrapped after medical advice, and the King’s itinerary will be paced to take account of his health.

During the tour, the Royal couple will attend a reception at Parliament House in Canberra and a community BBQ in Western Sydney, lay a wreath at the Australian War Memorial and visit the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander memorial. They will also conduct a Fleet Review of the Royal Australian Navy, in Sydney Harbour.

The visit has prompted further discussion about the future of the monarchy in Australia. A 1999 referendum failed to win a majority for becoming a republic, but public support for the movement has grown since then.

ARM An AI image of the King, Queen and Prince of Wales wearing sunglasses and waving, generated by the Australian Republican movement — The Australian Republican Movement (ARM) has branded the visit as the British monarchy’s “farewell tour”

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is a long-term republican, but his government put plans to hold another vote on ice in January 2024, saying it was no longer a priority issue.

Ahead of his latest trip, the King said the question of “whether Australia becomes a republic” was a “matter for the Australian public to decide”.