King Charles III(Image: Getty Images)

King Charles always travels with surprising item on doctor's orders

King Charles is set to make a number of overseas visits during his reign, but he'll make sure he's always prepared by taking a few unusual things with him on the advice of his doctor

05 Oct 2024, 13:22 by Gemma StrongLifestyle Writer · RSVP Live

King Charles has a peculiar travel essential that he never leaves behind, all on his doctor's advice. As the reigning monarch, Charles frequently embarks on international trips for official duties and tours.

Later this month, he and Queen Camilla are set to journey to Australia and Samoa. Among his personal belongings, the King carries an unexpected item - a supply of blood.

He is also constantly accompanied by a medical professional. In 2016, Gordon Rayner from The Telegraph reported that the late Queen would also always travel with a Royal Navy doctor who would gather information about local hospitals during her global tours.

"In countries where a reliable blood supply is questionable, the Queen and the Prince of Wales both travel with their own personal packs of blood following in their convoy wherever they go," he added. "Their doctor is never more than a few paces away, carrying a bulky medical bag containing a mobile defibrillator and all manner of emergency medicine."

While the King's packing list is extensive, there's one thing he doesn't need to worry about - his passport. According to the Royal family's website, which hasn't been fully updated since Queen Elizabeth's passing, the British monarch doesn't require a passport because these documents are issued in their name, reports the Mirror.

"When travelling overseas, The Queen does not require a British passport," it explains. "As a British passport is issued in the name of Her Majesty, it is unnecessary for The Queen to possess one. All other members of the Royal Family, including The Duke of Edinburgh [then Prince Philip ] and The Prince of Wales [then Prince Charles], have passports."

This means that despite Queen Elizabeth II's extensive travels, covering over one million miles and visiting more than 100 countries during her record-breaking reign, she never needed to carry an identification document. In 2023, the first passports bearing King Charles's name were issued following the death of his mother in September 2022.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman commented on the significance of this change in a statement confirming the news.

"For 70 years, Her Majesty has appeared on British passports and many of us will not remember a time when she did not feature. Today marks a significant moment in U.K. history, as the first British passports since 1952 start featuring the title of His Majesty the King," Braverman said.

The revamped navy passports now bear the Royal Arms stamp, similar to their predecessors. However, a slight change in language on the first page has been noted, shifting from 'Her Majesty' to 'His Majesty'.

"His Britannic Majesty's Secretary of State requests and requires in the name of His Majesty all those whom it may concern to allow the bearer to pass freely without let or hindrance, and to afford the bearer such assistance and protection as may be necessary," it reads.

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