King Charles has 'great regret' as cancer treatment affecting his royal plans
The King looks likely to miss out on a New Zealand trip
PA
The rumoured cancellation of King Charles's trip to New Zealand as part of a Commonwealth tour later this year has left the King with "great regret", a source has said.
Charles is still expected to travel halfway round the globe to visit Australia and Samoa for a Commonwealth summit in October, but additional legs of the trip to fellow South Pacific states New Zealand and Fiji had reportedly been canned as the 75-year-old monarch continues his treatment for the illness.
A source had told the Mirror that missing out on the added two destinations would represent a "bitter disappointment on both sides" - and in response, New Zealand's PM Christopher Luxon, extended an "open invitation to King Charles" for what would be his first visit there since 2019.
But despite reports of the Kiwi leg of the visit's calling-off, Buckingham Palace has so far remained firm that it will be going ahead.
The King's can-do attitude despite his illness has been praised as "incredible"
PA
And now, a source has slammed Palace organisers insisting the King would go to New Zealand as being "in denial".
The source told the outlet: "They are in denial by continuing to say that planning for the overseas trip is full steam ahead, but the orders come from the top.
"Charles is optimistic and desperately wants to keep going with everything.
"Missing New Zealand is a great loss, and it will be a source of great regret for him, because to be honest he probably won't be doing it again. But it's frankly incredible that he is still doing Australia and that should be celebrated."
READ MORE ON KING CHARLES III:
The then-Prince of Wales last visited New Zealand in 2019PA
The King and Queen will face a race against the clock to adjust to the time difference in Australia
PA
As Charles's cancer battle continues, the Australian segment of the official visit is believed to have been cut down to just six days, but the King believes visiting the country is "non-negotiable", owing to its political atmosphere - "considerable popular antipathy" to the monarchy, according to some.
The King and Queen will face a race against the clock to adjust to the time difference in Australia - but are due to take a two-day break before the royal couple arrive in Samoa for three days in order to attend the 2024 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM 2024).
The source continued: "Australia is such an important part of the Commonwealth that Charles feels it is absolutely non-negotiable.
"There is considerable popular antipathy to the entire concept of the British monarch being head of state there, and of course he doesn't want to go down as the man who lost Australia.
The King "doesn't want to go down as the man who lost Australia", a source said
PA
Clive Alderton is reportedly in Australia already
PA
"To go there when he is being treated for cancer wasn't what he planned - but you could hardly think of a better way of letting Australians know how important they are to the crown."
And there's doubtless personal desire behind the King's persistence to make the journey half-way around the world; Charles had spent two terms at the prestigious Geelong Grammar School in Victoria in his first foreign engagement as Prince of Wales.
Ahead of the long-distance trip - the longest the King would make in his reign, and only the fourth following visits to France, Germany and Kenya - Buckingham Palace officials are in Australia laying the groundwork for his arrival.
It's understood that the King's private secretary Clive Alderton is already in the key Commonwealth Realm this month in order to shore up final arrangements for the visit - though, notably, he has not popped up in New Zealand.