King Charles, Queen Camilla ‘Adapted’ Plans to Host Japanese Royals

King Charles III and Queen Camilla are hosting Japan's Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako this week as part of a belated and previously postponed visit originally set for 2020—before being railroaded by the COVID-19 pandemic. Though this event has been years in the making, the British royals were still reportedly forced to "adapt" their plans amid the family's ongoing health woes and the upcoming special election.

As Parade previously reported, Charles and the rest of the British royals–including Prince William–had to reschedule several engagements in honor of the general election on Thursday, July 4, as the family doesn't want to "divert attention or distract from the election campaign."

In a statement from the king and queen published by Sky News last month, the two issued "their sincere apologies to any of those who may be affected as a result" but pointed out that the move does come "in accordance with normal procedure."

Fast forward a few weeks, a palace spokesman reportedly told Hello! Magazine in a piece published Tuesday, June 25, that even though the Japanese royals' visit wasn't cut from the amended schedule ahead of the election, this week's plans have been "slightly adapted," presumably since it was initially created.

"As a general principle, it has of course been adapted as a result of the current pre-election period of sensitivity," the spokesperson explained.

Additionally, several members of the British royal family have been overwhelmed with a series of unfortunate health woes preventing them from carrying out their royal duties as the emperor and empress begin their three-day visit.

Though the 75-year-old monarch has appeared in good spirits despite his cancer battle, his sister Princess Anne remains hospitalized following an incident at her home on Monday, while his daughter-in-law Kate Middleton continues to avoid the spotlight to focus on her family and well-being as she undergoes "preventative" chemotherapy following a January 2024 cancer diagnosis.

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