King Charles ‘planning’ trip to India with Queen Camilla: Report

Last month, the 76-year-old monarch and Queen Camilla, 77, made a “private stopover” at a wellness resort in Bengaluru on their way back from Australia and Samoa. It is believed they are now planning a return visit.

“It’s hugely encouraging to be able to make such plans for the King and Queen given the year the monarch has had, but it’s very much full steam ahead,” a source told the newspaper.

“A tour of the Indian subcontinent is in the offing, which will carry huge political and cultural significance for Britain on the global stage. The King and Queen are the perfect ambassadors at such a time,” the source added.

Buckingham Palace revealed the King’s cancer diagnosis in February and confirmed that with medical treatment progressing well, there are plans for a “pretty normal-looking full overseas tour programme for next year”.

The timing of the proposed tour coincides with renewed efforts by the UK government to strengthen economic ties with India, particularly in the post-Brexit era. Following the recent meeting between Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the G20 Summit in Brazil, Downing Street is reportedly keen to involve the senior royals in fostering goodwill.

“Foreign Office officials have been authorised to open discussions with potential host nations for royal visits, with plans for tours of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh now in development. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is understood to have reiterated his willingness to host the King and Queen, especially after their previous trip was cancelled,” the Daily Mirror reported.

The royal couple’s last official visit to India was in 2019, when Charles was the Prince of Wales, focusing on climate change, sustainability, and social finance. More recently, in October, they visited the Soukya International Holistic Health Centre (SIHHC) in Whitefield, Bengaluru, as part of a stopover during their journey back from the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Samoa.

Palace officials have clarified that the visit to SIHHC was unrelated to the King’s ongoing medical treatment and was instead planned as part of rest periods advised by his doctors during his first long-distance tour since the diagnosis.

Both King Charles and Queen Camilla are known for their interest in holistic health and wellness. During a prior meeting in April 2018, Charles and Modi are said to have discussed the benefits of yoga and ayurveda, reflecting their shared appreciation for traditional and integrative healthcare practices.

(With inputs from PTI)

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