Camilla rules out tour of Oz

THE Duchess of Cornwall has refused to go on a tour of Australia with her husband because it is too gruelling, aides admitted yesterday.

But Clarence House has denied the decision is a snub to Australia because she will still fly out to the country’s Gold Coast to open April’s Commonwealth Games at Prince Charles’s side.

Indeed Camilla (pictured) who turned 70 last year, will travel more than 20,000 miles for just two-and-a-half days of engagements before returning to London. Charles will continue the tour alone for four days and make his own way back to the UK.

The couple’s visit comes at a sensitive time, days before the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in London, attended by the Queen. Buckingham Palace has been canvassing hard for Charles to inherit his mother’s title as head of the Commonwealth and it is anticipated the meeting will be used as an opportunity to ratify the prince as her successor.