King Charles III is set to make a notable departure from tradition by omitting the term “walkabout” during his upcoming royal tour of Australia and Samoa. This decision is intended to show respect for Australia’s Indigenous communities and their cultural practices.

The term “walkabout,” popularized by Queen Elizabeth II 54 years ago, refers to a Royal Family member meeting and greeting well-wishers in public. However, this term has cultural significance in Aboriginal traditions, where it describes a journey on foot through the bush associated with rituals, meditation, and significant life events.

In light of this, King Charles and Queen Camilla will replace “walkabout” with the phrase “opportunity to meet the public” during their October visit. This is the first time the term has been deliberately avoided in the context of a royal tour.

The upcoming tour marks King Charles’s first extended trip since his cancer diagnosis and his first return to Australia and Samoa as King and head of the Commonwealth. The tour will include periods of rest following the long-haul travel, and evening engagements in Australia have been omitted to accommodate the King’s health needs.

Buckingham Palace has confirmed that the tour schedule has been adapted based on medical advice. The nine-day visit will include engagements focused on honoring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, such as attending a community barbecue in western Sydney and learning about bushfire prevention and native plants.

Originally, the tour was planned to include New Zealand, but this part of the trip was canceled following medical recommendations. A Buckingham Palace spokesperson explained, “We’ve had to consider how to best preserve Their Majesties’ energies to ensure they are at their best. We had hoped to visit New Zealand, but on the advice of doctors and in close consultation with the Australian and New Zealand governments, it was not possible.”

The tour adjustments and the decision to avoid the term “walkabout” reflect the royals’ commitment to cultural sensitivity and their focus on maintaining the King’s health while engaging meaningfully with the communities they visit.