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King Charles III and Queen Camilla Visit Australia Amid Constitutional Debate
King Charles III and Queen Camilla arrived in Sydney on Friday, marking the first visit by a reigning monarch to Australia in over a decade. This significant trip has reignited discussions about Australia’s constitutional ties to Britain.
To welcome the royal couple, the iconic sails of the Sydney Opera House were illuminated with images celebrating previous royal visits. However, this six-day itinerary has been abbreviated due to King Charles’s ongoing treatment for cancer.
Upon arrival at Sydney Airport, the couple was greeted by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, New South Wales state Premier Chris Minns, and Governor-General Sam Mostyn, the king’s representative in Australia, all amidst light rain.
Notably, King Charles is only the second British monarch to visit Australia, following in the footsteps of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, who made her first visit 70 years ago.
While the welcome has been cordial, there remains a strong sentiment among certain national and state leaders favoring the removal of the monarchy from Australia’s constitution. Supporters of the monarchy see this visit as a means to reinforce the connection between Australians and their sovereign. In contrast, detractors are eager to challenge the notion of an overseas monarch serving as Australia’s head of state.
The Australian Republic Movement (ARM), an organization advocating for an Australian citizen to take over the role of head of state, has equated the royal visit to a theatrical event. This week, they commenced a campaign titled “Wave Goodbye to Royal Reign with Monarchy: The Farewell Oz Tour!”
ARM co-chair Esther Anatolitis remarked that royal visits resemble a show visiting town, emphasizing that such events highlight the fact that Australia’s head of state is not full-time and not Australian. She stated, “We say to Charles and Camilla: ‘Welcome, we hope you’re enjoying our country and good health and good spirits.’ But we also look forward to this being the final tour of a sitting Australian monarch and that when they come back to visit soon, we look forward to welcoming them as visiting dignitaries.”
Conversely, Philip Benwell, national chair of the Australian Monarchist League, which advocates for maintaining constitutional ties to Britain, expects a largely favorable reaction to the royal couple. He noted, “Something like the royal visit brings the king closer in the minds of people, because we have an absent monarchy.” He criticized the premiers of the six states for declining to attend a reception for the king in Canberra, viewing their absence as a potential snub to this historic visit.
King Charles became embroiled in Australia’s republican debate well before his arrival, as the ARM had written to him the previous December requesting a meeting to discuss their cause. Buckingham Palace eventually responded, indicating that any meetings would be arranged by the Australian government, and a gathering with ARM does not appear on his official itinerary.
Historically, Australians voted in a 1999 referendum to retain Queen Elizabeth II as head of state, a decision perceived as influenced more by disagreements on presidential selection than genuine support for the monarchy. After his time in Sydney and Canberra, located approximately 155 miles apart, King Charles is set to travel to Samoa for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.
Queen Elizabeth II last visited Australia in 2011, stopping in cities such as Canberra, Brisbane, and Melbourne before attending the Commonwealth meeting in Perth. Her initial tour in the 1950s drew immense crowds, with an estimated 75% of the population turning out to catch a glimpse of her. This was a period when Australia’s immigration policies were heavily skewed towards British immigrants; however, since 1973, these policies have become more inclusive.
Today, Australia boasts a more multicultural society, with many residents either born overseas or having an overseas-born parent. Anatolitis pointed out the significant transformation in Australia, emphasizing that the country now enjoys a level of global interconnectedness that was absent in the mid-20th century.
In February, Buckingham Palace disclosed that Charles was undergoing treatment for a non-specific type of cancer, a discovery made during a medical examination for an enlarged prostate. Following a brief hiatus from public appearances, Charles resumed his royal duties in April. Additionally, in March, it was reported that Catherine, Princess of Wales, had also been diagnosed with cancer, which has since led to her completing chemotherapy treatments. Her focus now remains on staying cancer-free.
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