It’s a little hard to know in modern times why members of a royal family once embarked on an extended tour of another country.

From an imperialist point of view, royal tours are essentially an exercise in public relations.

Those who have watched Netflix's “The Crown” can probably relate this to the Prince and Princess of Wales’ monthlong tour of Australia in 1983. Princess Diana’s popularity two years into her marriage with Prince Charles came at an opportune time, helping to popularize the British monarchy in Australia and stem sentiment that may have led to the Pacific nation leaving the Commonwealth to become a republic of its own.