In a surprising move, Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, has rescheduled her highly anticipated visit to Australia, initially set for October 2024, to avoid clashing with King Charles III’s royal tour. Ferguson, who was supposed to attend Perth’s Festival of Fiction, made the decision in July, expressing concern that her presence might detract attention from her former brother-in-law’s official engagements. Her rescheduled appearance, now planned for November 1, stating that she did not want to “distract or detract” from the King’s tour. The decision of Sarah Ferguson cancels Australia trip due to king charles announcement reflects a desire to keep the focus on the royal while maintaining her own role in public life.
The Festival of Fiction released an official statement on their Instagram page expressing their regret about the changes. It states that:
“With regret, Sarah, Duchess of York has decided to withdraw from the Festival of Fiction, so as not to distract or detract in any way from the tour of Australia by His Majesty the King, which has recently been announced.”
“Due to exceptional demand, she will be returning to Perth on November 1 at 6.30pm for a special event at Joondalup Resort and apologises to anyone who is inconvenienced by the change of date.”
At the Festival of Fiction in Perth, Sarah Ferguson will be featured in a special event where she will engage in a conversation with Tess Woods, an acclaimed author and the festival’s director. The event will be held at Edith Cowan University’s Joondalup campus featuring best-selling and local writers. Festival of Fiction founder Tess Woods revealed that securing her appearance was a huge coup. She explained that renowned author Tony Birch and Melina Marchetta will also be present. She is the author of Looking for Ali Brandi, her debut novel that was adapted into a movie in 2000.
“I became a professional beggar, and just started asking publishers if they would send us their authors and … I spent a few months curating the list that I wanted,” Woods recalled.
The Duchess is a very prolific author and she has over fifty-five written works including children’s stories and adult fiction. By the way, she published her newest children’s book called The Gift of Kindness via Serenity Press. She has made headlines as the New York Times best seller. Her discussion at the Festival will provide insights into both her life and her work as an author and it is expected to cover her literary career, personal experiences and her passion for telling stories.
The duchess, known for her creative career as an author, is well loved because of her honesty and energy. Even though she has chosen to delay the trip for some time, this act shows how much respect she still possesses towards royalty, having married into it before divorce. Her upcoming visit will include promoting her latest book, A Woman of Intrigue, ensuring that when she does arrive, she’ll have a story worth waiting for.
Their Majesties’ autumn royal tour of Australia
King Charles III and Queen Camilla’s 2024 royal tour of Australia will be a significant moment for both the British monarchy and the Commonwealth. This marks Charles’ first visit to Australia as King, and it’s also the first time a reigning monarch will visit the country since Queen Elizabeth II in 2011. The tour will focus on various aspects of Australian life, including its rich cultural heritage, scientific achievements, and social progress.
Palace spokesperson said: “Their Majesties will visit the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales and Samoa. The tour will feature engagements in the Australian Capital Territory and New South Wales.
King Charles and Queen Camilla will later head to Samoa to participate in the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), which will be a significant opportunity for global leaders to come together and discuss issues related to climate resilience, economic stability, and gender equality.
This royal tour will allow Australia to showcase its achievements on the world stage and further strengthen the ties between the Commonwealth and the British monarchy
“The King’s doctors have advised that a further extension to Their Majesties’ trip should be avoided at this time, to prioritise His Majesty’s continued recovery.
“As with all His Majesty’s recent engagements, his programme in both countries will be subject to doctors’ advice, and any necessary modifications on health grounds,” the Palace Palace spokesperson further explained.
The itinerary for King Charles III and Queen Camilla’s 2024 royal tour was scaled back due to concerns over King Charles’ health. The monarch is being treated for some kind of cancer, but he has been advised by his doctors against going overboard with his schedule. Hence, the trip to New Zealand which was supposed to be an extension of the long-haul trip was called off. However, the trip to Australia is still on course albeit with a less packed program to allow King Charles to conserve his strength throughout the trip.
