Prince Charles suffers in the scorching 89F Australian heat

Prince Charles appeared to be struggling in the scorching heat during a full day of engagements yesterday. Beads of sweat trickled down his face as temperatures hit 89.6F (32C) in Darwin – and his discomfort was probably not helped by his full grey suit

He had probably hoped for a warm welcome in Australia – but perhaps not this warm.

Prince Charles appeared to be struggling in the scorching heat during a full day of engagements yesterday.

Beads of sweat trickled down his face as temperatures hit 89.6F (32C) in Darwin – and his discomfort was probably not helped by his full grey suit.

But, with typical English stoicism, he kept his jacket resolutely buttoned and shirt firmly done up to the neck.

The sweltering temperature came on the last day of the prince’s week-long tour of the country.

After laying a wreath at Darwin Barracks, he visited Larrakeyah Barracks, where he slipped while crossing a bridge. Luckily, the royal appeared uninjured after his unscheduled trip. There were no cooling sea breezes at his next stop, the naval base HMAS Coonawarra, and the prince, 69, could be seen sweating profusely as he set sail on a short tour of Darwin Harbour.

But there was still no respite afterwards. After meeting with soldiers and their families he went onto the National Critical Care and Trauma Centre and attended a reception at Government House.

There, he placed a message in a time capsule and planted a tree – before finally leaving for the airport to fly back to the UK.

Though the prince may have found the weather trying, his enthusiasm for the Australian public was seemingly not affected.

The heir to the throne said he was ‘really touched’ by the crowds who had come out to greet him across the country, as well as on a visit to the South Pacific island of Vanuatu.

It came as a poll conducted for newspaper The Australian found that support for the monarchy had reached an 19-year high.

A survey of more than 1,600 Australians found that while support for a republic remains at 50 per cent, support for the monarchy is now 41 per cent.

The sweltering temperature came on the last day of the prince¿s week-long tour of the country

The sweltering temperature came on the last day of the prince’s week-long tour of the country

This is the double the proportion in February, when only 22 per cent said that they preferred the monarchy.

‘These are very encouraging figures,’ Philip Benwell, national chairman of the Australian Monarchists’ League, told the Daily Mail last night. ‘We were quite a way behind a few months ago and now support has soared.’

Mr Benwell said monarchists were now hoping that the imminent birth of a third child for the Duchess of Cambridge and the forthcoming marriage of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will boost royal popularity further.

But, with typical English stoicism, he kept his jacket resolutely buttoned and shirt firmly done up to the neck

But, with typical English stoicism, he kept his jacket resolutely buttoned and shirt firmly done up to the neck

It’s the highest figure in favour of the monarchy since a 1999 republic referendum, when almost 55 per cent of Australians voted to remain part of the constitutional monarchy. Just what direct influence the seven-day visit to Australia by Prince Charles – accompanied, for the first few days, by the Duchess of Cornwall – has had on the poll has not been defined.

However, Mr Benwell said the popularity of Prince Charles as he travelled through Queensland and the Northern Territory could not be ignored.

He added: ‘For a man approaching his 70th birthday to have tackled all the tasks demanded of him is admirable. He’s done a marvellous job.’

 



Read more at DailyMail.co.uk