Here are some assorted photos of King Charles on July 17th and 18th. On the 17th, he had the state opening of Parliament, where he wore the Imperial State Crown and made a speech about poverty. The next day, Charles wore a summer suit and met with European leaders at Blenheim Palace, alongside Prime Minister Keir Starmer. They called it the European Political Community meeting, because they can’t say “it’s basically an EU meeting.” France’s President Emmanuel Macron came over, as did Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama and Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni were also there. Charles was in his element, glad-handing and charming world leaders and laughing at his own jokes. This was possibly his last big event before he began his summer holiday though – the Mail claims that the king’s staff are insisting that he really take some time off, and basically, we won’t hear much from Charles until the fall:

King Charles is set to enjoy an extended summer in Scotland as he returns to the ‘traditional’ royal holiday schedule. The late Queen spent three months each year at her Highland hideaway Balmoral, but last year the King returned to London early, leading to speculation he would not adopt his mother’s approach. Aides say Charles is planning to stay north of the border for longer this summer, in keeping with the late Queen’s pattern, and say he is looking forward to a rest.

[King Charles’s] packed schedule has led to concerns that the King, 75, has been overdoing it as he undergoes cancer treatment, but aides insist his diary is very carefully calibrated on medical advice. The mood at the Palace has been ‘very encouraged’ by the recent programme, with the royal calendar looking reassuringly normal.

On the first Saturday of August, the King is set to don his kilt for the Mey Highland Games in John o’Groats. It is expected he and Queen Camilla will stay at the Castle of Mey, the beloved former home of the Queen Mother, nestled in Caithness at the tip of Scotland. For the rest of the summer, they will stay either at Birkhall, or the late Queen’s beloved Balmoral, inviting family and – as is tradition – the Prime Minister.

And on the first Saturday in September, the King will join the annual Braemar Gathering at the Cairngorms National Park, a firm favourite of the late Queen. The second anniversary of her death, like the first, will be spent in quiet reflection at Balmoral.

In October, they will fly to Australia and Samoa for Charles’s first foreign royal tour since his diagnosis. Australian sources say health concerns mean the King will not undertake all-day events. It is believed he will visit the New South Wales Parliament House and a major attraction, possibly the Sydney Opera House. The King and Queen will then fly to Samoa for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. The Mail on Sunday understands aides are scouting for accommodation on the island, with options including an eco-friendly resort.

[From The Daily Mail]

So Charles will pop out a few times in Scotland, but he’ll spend the rest of the summer there and the next big setpiece on his schedule is the October trip. QEII would do this too, as the Mail mentioned – she would stay at Balmoral until mid to late September almost every year. She hated to be called back to London before she was ready. Some years, she would go from Balmoral to Sandringham, just because she didn’t want to go back to London. Meanwhile, Charles and Camilla have been running back and forth between a dozen different castles, palaces and mansions for months. Anyway, I wonder if they’ve worked out some way for Charles to receive his “targeted cancer treatment” in Scotland.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.