After parting from Prince Charles following their five-day tour of New Zealand, it’s alleged Camilla Parker-Bowles did not accompany her husband on the remainder of his tour because of her fear of flying.
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After a trip where the royal couple appeared to be all smiles, the Duchess of Cornwall returned to Britain. A statement from Clarence House included the following:
“At the end of the tour of New Zealand, The Duchess will return to the UK. The Prince will travel on to Tuvalu where he will receive an official welcome and attend a reception. His Royal Highness’ programme will focus on environmental issues and how local communities are responding to climate change.”
The statement added: “The Prince will also meet with young people to hear about the positive contributions they are making to the climate change debate. His Royal Highness will conclude the tour with a visit to the Solomon Islands. This will be The Prince of Wales’ first visit to the Solomon Islands.
“His Royal Highness will attend a public engagement, which will focus on ocean preservation and climate change. The Prince will also spend time learning about sustainable fisheries management in the Pacific Ocean.”
Although the palace did not confirm why Camilla would not accompany the Prince of Wales on the next leg of the tour, the Duchess has previously discussed her fear of flying. Appearing on ITV’s Thid Morning, the 72-year-old reportedly received an offer for help with the phobia from a specialist team on the show, according to Express.
The flight from New Zealand to Tuvula and the Solomon Islands takes roughly 20 hours to complete, and the publication argued Camilla may have not been up to it. However, they added that Camilla had recently flown to India to join Prince Charles for his birthday.
In fact, she made the trip mere days after cancelling royal engagements due to a chest infection. A Clarence House spokesman said: “She decided a few weeks ago to firm up her plans. We were always looking at the Duchess coming. There are no health reasons. She is as fit as a flea.”
The representative also addressed her fear of flying, saying “The Duchess does not like flying but I think she sometimes has to embrace that fear and get on with it.”
Prince Charles is expected to return to the UK later next week.
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