Prince William and Kate Middleton are heading to Australian to visit the victims of the bushfire. Reports revealed that Kensington Palace and the Australian government, which is part of the Commonwealth, are in talks to plan out the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's trip.
According to The Guardian, a formal invitation coming from Scott Morrison, the current Prime Minister of Australia, may be expected soon. The details of the exact dates and program of the royal visit Down Under will still be underscored in Morrison's letter to Prince William and Kate.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Kensington Palace royal aides and Morrison's people have been having conversations about Prince William and Kate's visit for weeks. It comes as other officials in Australia said that their government is dealing with a lot more pressing issues.
Royal visits are shouldered by taxpayer's money. The host country, in this case, Australia, pays some of the costs like accommodations, transportation and logistics. Prince William and Kate, reportedly, expressed their interest to visit Australia earlier but they were also careful not to use or divert the government's resources for emergencies.
But, the latest Australian wildfire season has been the worst in recent history. At least 15 million acres of land burned and killed nearly half a billion animals and wildlife unique to the country. Some 33 people also died while 2,000 residents lost their homes and properties.
According to the Australian Tourism Export Council, the bushfire devastation brought down tourist bookings from 10 to 20 percent in recent weeks. The agency said that it is expecting losses of at least $5 billion in tourism at the end of the year.
The Royal Family, led by Queen Elizabeth, was one the first to send their condolences to Australia in the midst of the deadly wildfire. On Instagram, Prince William and Kate also posted their shock and sadness over the lives lost in the wildfires and commented the brave firefighters who have been risking their lives to contain the natural calamity.
This will be the second trip of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to Australia together. In 2014, the couple was in the country along with their first-born son, Prince George, who was still a baby. It's not clear, however, if Prince George, as well as his siblings Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, will be joining this upcoming trip.
But, Prince William visited the country a few times before while still single. He was in Queensland and Victoria after the massive flooding in 2011.
