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Camilla will cut short royal tour with Charles
Sri Carmichael, Royal Reporter07.10.08
The Duchess of Cornwall is to pull out of a royal tour with the Prince of Wales halfway through because she feels it is too "arduous", Clarence House said today.
Charles will spend 10 days visiting Japan, Brunei and Indonesia later this month, but his wife will skip the final four days in Indonesia.
Royal insiders said Camilla insisted she could not cope with a long tour ending in such a hot and humid country.
Her decision to drop out early will once again raise questions about her commitment to her official role and suitability as a future Queen.
The Government has said the tour, which will use chartered flights, is so important in building Britain's relationships with other countries that its vast cost can be overlooked during the credit crunch.
But the Duchess appears happy to leave much of the work to her husband. Critics have labelled her "workshy", noting she carried out a third of the number of official engagements conducted by Charles last year and fewer than half the number undertaken by the Queen.
When Charles and Camilla toured the Caribbean on a yacht in March this year at considerable expense to the taxpayer, the Duchess reportedly complained of "exhaustion" and asked the Foreign Office to introduce more "rest time".
One aide today admitted the Queen, who at 82 is 21 years older than Camilla, continues to do a "remarkable" job.
Clarence House sought to pre-empt any criticism. A spokesman said: " Indonesia is an arduous environment. The programme when they get back to the UK is incredibly hectic." Remembrance weekend is three days after Charles returns to Britain, followed by a week of celebrations for his 60th birthday. "The Duchess needs time to catch her breath,"said the spokesman.
Reader views (7)
Are they backpacking, pitching tents at night, cooking their meals over an open fire and hiking from one engagement to the next? She always seemed quite energetic when she used to hunt.
- Patricia, LONDON
It would have been really interesting to have been able to see whether Diana would have been ALLOWED to pull out of a public engagement. One rule for one wife.... But who bothers to go to see Camilla any way?
- Lezli Taubler, London/UK
This female should never be queen. Where is her commitment to the "job". Where is her for better or worse commitment to Charles. I can tell you I wouldn't mind the freebies this awful woman gets. I would be proud to stand alongside Charles and support him however long and arduous the road was. Poor Charles such a fool to give everything up for this lazy good for nothing freeeloader
- Louie, London
I'm sure Diana would have been there
- Steve, gravesend uk
The poor Queen just gets on with the job at 82 years whilst delicate Camilla lazily complains its all too arduous with little care about the benefit to Britain. Once the Queen has gone we might just as well get rid of the Monarchy or hand it over to William.
- Janet, London
Why doesn't Camilla stay at home completely and save us the cost of one first-class round-trip?
- Marianne, S W France
They make me laugh, she's never done a proper days work in her life. I'd jump at the chance to tour all the countries she gets to visit. These people don't know how fortunate they are
- Joyce Dempster, andover, Hants UK
