King Charles and Queen Camilla have been confronted by a protest over Indigenous rights and a sneezy alpaca on the second day of public engagements of their Australian tour which all took place in the national capital..
Indigenous independent senator Lidia Thorpe strode up the central aisle of the Great Hall of Parliament House after the King’s address to an official reception to tell him she did not accept his sovereignty before security staff prevented her from approaching the monarch.
The King had paid his respects to Canberra’s traditional owners and spoke of witnessing Australia’s “sometimes difficult journey towards reconciliation”.
“Throughout my life, Australia’s First Nations peoples have done me the great honour of sharing so generously their stories and cultures. I can only say how much my own experience has been shaped and strengthened by such tradition and wisdom.”
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton both spoke about Australia’s enduring relationship with the Commonwealth.
“For Australia, the Commonwealth is family. And, as with any family, we appreciate our differences,” the prime minister said.
Mr. Dutton said Australia should not take its British inheritance for granted. “Our institutions are protected and underpinned by the independence and stoicism of the reigning monarch,” he said.
Later, the royal couple joined guests at the event including former prime ministers John Howard and Tony Abbott, mining executive Andrew Forrest, and dual Paris Olympics gold medallist Jess Fox.
Earlier, loud cheers and renditions of God Save the King greeted the royal couple as they visited the Australian War Memorial.
The pair privately paid their respects at the Australian War Memorial commemorative area, laying a wreath and floral tribute before moving to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander memorial, For Our Country.
The King and Queen spent more than 30 minutes shaking hands and chatting with hundreds of gathered onlookers — some wearing commemorative crowns, others offering bouquets.
Dressed in a suit and crown, Hephner the alpaca also got his opportunity to welcome the King and appeared to sneeze on the 75-year-old monarch as he came in for a pat.
After the parliamentary reception, their Majesties went their separate ways, with the Queen attending a discussion on family and domestic violence and the King meeting Mr. Albanese and Mr. Dutton at Government House.
The King then visited the CSIRO’s National Bushfire Research Laboratory where he watched on as a live bushfire demonstration replicated a burning blaze within the confines of a 29-metre-long combustion wind tunnel.
Queen Camilla then joined King Charles at the Australian National Botanic Gardens where they were greeted by local school children who invited them to plant native seeds. The pair also planted a water gum to commemorate their visit.
The royals will return to Sydney on Tuesday where they will meet more members of the public at the Opera House and attend a naval fleet review on the Admiral Hudson vessel.
With Australian Associated Press and pool reporters.
Photo: Facebook – Australian Government (Signing the Visitors’ Book)
