Prince Charles and Camilla Cancel Their Royal Tour Set for Next Week Amid Coronavirus Concerns
Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, have canceled their travel plans.
The royal couple was set to embark on a royal tour from March 17 to March 25, making stops in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Republic of Cyprus and Jordan. However, the trip has been delayed due to concerns about the coronavirus outbreak.
“Owing to the unfolding situation with the Coronavirus pandemic, The British Government has asked Their Royal Highnesses to postpone their spring tour to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cyprus and Jordan,” their office said in a statement.
Prince Charles, 71, and Camilla, 72, are believed to be working on how they can use their time to undertake engagement in the U.K. while avoiding large gatherings, in line with current government advice.
RELATED: Prince Charles Is Still Getting Used to No Formal Handshakes Amid Coronavirus Outbreak
Charles was going to kick off the tour solo in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where he planned to highlight the reforms to improve the citizens’ lives and continue his enduring commitment to post-conflict resolutions in the Western Balkans.
While at Sarajevo and Srebrenica, the Prince of Wales was scheduled to visit the memorial of Srebrenica in honor of the 25th anniversary of the Bosnian genocide to pay his respects to victims and meet survivors.
Prince Charles and Camilla planned to jointly visit Cyprus to celebrate the historic ties between the U.K. and Cyprus, as well as advance the countries’ relationship in areas such as science and education. It would have been the first royal trip back to the Mediterranean island country since Queen Elizabeth‘s visit in 1993.
In addition to exploring the capital of Nicosia, the couple also planned to travel to the rural areas of the Troodos mountains and the Larnaca district to celebrate traditional Cypriot culture through food and crafts.
Queen Elizabeth, 93, also canceled her scheduled visits to Cheshire and Camden next week “as a sensible precaution and for practical reasons in the current circumstances.”
Prince Charles has not slowed down his royal work despite fears of the coronavirus. On Thursday, he conducted an investiture ceremony at Buckingham Palace before attending a dinner in support of the Australian bushfire relief and recovery effort.
However, the Queen’s son has been careful about his formal greetings. Instead of handshakes, he’s been opting to say hello with a namaste, placing his hands together in a traditional Hindu greeting. (He did struggle to remember the new protocol at the Prince’s Trust Awards on Wednesday, repeatedly extending his arm before realizing his mistake!)
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Camilla made a lighthearted remark about coronavirus during a visit to the couple’s visit to the London Transport Museum earlier this month.
“I’m self-isolating,” she quipped while ducking into a one-person air raid shelter.
