THE KING BOUNCES BACK

Charles lines up full work schedule for next year | Trip Down Under was the perfect tonic, says aide

- Emily Ferguson

THE King is lining up a full work schedule next year in a major boost for his ongoing battle with cancer.

Doctors have given him the go-ahead to make plans for a series of royal events, including two major overseas tours.

It follows a successful nine-day trip to Australia and Samoa, which aides described as "the perfect tonic" for his recovery.

Palace sources said he had "thrived" on the busy programme and will embark on the first high-profile tour in spring, subject to a final sign-off by doctors.

As he left Samoa yesterday, a buoyant Charles, 75, even talked of returning - and taking trips to 10 of the 56 Commonwealth states he has yet to visit. He declared: "I shall always remain devoted to this part of the world and I hope that I survive long enough to come back and see you." Last night a Palace official said the King had "genuinely loved" the tour which lifted "his spirits, his mood and his recovery".

They added: "We're now working on a pretty normal-looking full overseas tour programme for next year. It's a high for us to end on, to know we can be thinking in those terms, subject to sign-off by doctors.

"It is hard to overstate the joy that he takes from duty and service and being in the public, and seeing those crowds engaging with communities across the spectrum.

That does lift the spirits - you can see that." Charles paused his cancer treatment for his first long-haul trip since his diagnosis in February and will resume it upon his return to the UK this week.