Prince Charles and Camilla to visit Australia and New Zealand in November

Prince Charles and his wife Camilla will visit Australia and New Zealand in November, their second trip to the Antipodes together.

The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall last visited in November 2012 to mark the Queen’s diamond jubilee, Clarence House said in a statement on Friday, announcing the upcoming visit.

It said further details of the visit would be announced at a later date.

Charles has previously expressed his “huge affection” for Australia which he has visited many times since spending two terms at Geelong Grammar School in Victoria in 1966.

His son Harry spent a month in Australia earlier this year on a secondment with the Australian defence force – his last active military duty. He also visited New Zealand for a week.

Charles’ older son William last year went on a royal tour of Australia and New Zealand with his wife Kate and their young son George.

Their daughter Charlotte was born on 2 May and will be baptised on Sunday by the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Charles was embroiled in controversy earlier this year when the supreme court ordered the release of a batch of his private letters to government ministers after the Guardian applied to see the correspondence, against the prince’s will.

The government had refused, arguing the frank “spider memos”, so named because of the spidery handwriting, reflected the heir to the throne’s personal views and publishing them could undermine the perception of his neutrality.

Charles has expressed strong opinions on topics including architecture, genetically modified crops and climate change.

Australia’s prime minister, Tony Abbott welcomed the news of the visit, saying recent visits by Prince Harry and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge had strengthened ties with Britain.