King Charles III has a rather unusual travel essential: a personal supply of blood. Following medical advice, the monarch brings this precaution on all his official trips, particularly when visiting locations where healthcare services may be unreliable. This month, as King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla prepare for their upcoming engagements in Australia and Samoa, his personal blood supply will once again be part of their travel necessities.
The late Queen Elizabeth II, during her reign, traveled extensively, visiting over 100 countries and covering more than a million miles. In 2023, the first British passports featuring King Charles’s name were issued, marking a historic transition. Home Secretary Suella Braverman commented on this milestone, stating, “For 70 years, Her Majesty has appeared on British passports… 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.”
The King and Queen have announced they will travel to Australia and Samoa this autumn, marking Charles' first official overseas tour since his cancer diagnosis.
— Good Morning Britain (@GMB) July 15, 2024
It is also the first time a reigning monarch will have travelled to Australia since 2011.@NityaGRajan reports. pic.twitter.com/MZrsBWsaLx
While the navy blue passports retain their overall design, the language has been updated. The first page now reads, “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.”
Carrying a personal blood supply may seem peculiar, but it is a long-standing royal practice. According to Dickie Arbiter, former press secretary to Queen Elizabeth II, royal planes often carry blood products specifically matched to the royal’s blood type. During an episode of Hello’s A Right Royal Podcast, Arbiter explained, “You’ve got to make sure that you are covering every eventuality… There’s never any guarantee you are going to get the right type of blood at your destination.”
Reports have indicated that both the Queen and Prince Charles (now King) have traveled with personal blood supplies, particularly in countries with less reliable medical services. Their personal doctor is always close at hand, equipped with a medical bag containing emergency medications, including a mobile defibrillator.
In addition to his blood supply, King Charles is known to carry various unusual items while traveling, including his own produce, his childhood teddy bear, an orthopedic bed, and allegedly, his own toilet seat and loo roll. During a seven-day tour of Australia, Charles was once questioned about carrying a toilet seat, to which he humorously responded, “My own what?… Oh, don’t believe all that c—p,” as reported by People magazine.
Despite his extensive travel checklist, there is one item King Charles does not need: a passport. As the British monarch, he is exempt from carrying one, as passports are issued in the sovereign’s name. However, all other royal family members, including Queen Camilla and senior royals, still require passports for international travel.
