Camila Parker Bowles skipped the royal tour in Japan for a reason that not only royals may have. The Duchess of Cornwall is not joining Prince Charles in the enthronement of Emperor Naruhito of Japan because of her fear of flying.
Charles arrived in Japan to attend the enthronement ceremony of Emperor Naruhito on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II. Emperor Naruhito received his title in May after his father Akihito abdicated the throne.
Unfortunately, Camilla will be missing the ceremony and Charles flew alone as his wife has a fear of flying. This means a 20-hour or almost an entire day flight to Japan would be extremely not comfortable for the Duchess.
The 71-year-old royal admitted her flight phobia when she appeared on ITV's This Morning last year. It can be recalled that Camilla also cut short a visit to Australia in April last year due to the same fear.
The Clarence House also confirmed Camilla's phobia. This is the reason why she also doesn't accompany the future king in some of his overseas royal visits.
"The Duchess does not like flying but I think she has to sometimes embrace that fear," the Clarence House said, per Express.
Despite her flight phobia, Camilla Parker Bowles did join her husband in a royal visit to Japan in 2008. The couple spent four days in the country where they also celebrated the 150th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the UK and Japan.
Camilla will also endure a long flight to New Zealand next month as the couple is scheduled to visit the country between November 17 to 21. Charles will also be making a trip to Tuvalu and the Solomon Islands while he is there.
Meanwhile, though she skipped a royal engagement in East Asia, Camilla Parker Bowles' calendar is still packed this week. She is scheduled to grace the opening of the new Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases and Brownsword Therapies Centre at the Royal United Hospitals.
The Duchess of Cornwall became president of the Royal Osteoporosis Society in 2011. She got involved in the organization in 1997 after her mother and grandmother died of osteoporosis.
Prince Charles' wife will also attend a reception to mark the 20th anniversary of the Forever Friends Appeal which is a charity for the RUH. Camilla Parker Bowles is also set to attend a tea reception in London later this week. The event will mark the 7th anniversary of the National Literacy Trust's Books Unlocked program.
