King Charles and Queen Camilla are scheduled to embark on a royal tour of Australia this week, but they will not be welcomed by senior Australian politicians during their visit.
The couple will arrive in the Commonwealth nation later this week. They will begin with a formal greeting from Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese before attending a reception in Canberra.
However, the premiers from Australia’s six states—New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, and Tasmania—have announced they will not attend the ceremony, citing prior commitments.
This visit marks the King’s most significant overseas trip since his cancer diagnosis and his first visit to Australia since ascending to the throne.
Royal doctors have permitted the 75-year-old monarch to temporarily halt his weekly cancer treatments to undertake the trip, including a state visit to Samoa in the South Pacific.
The decision by state premiers to forgo the ceremony has drawn criticism from various sectors of the Australian media and has reignited discussions about the country’s relationship with the British monarchy. For years, there have been calls for Australia to become a republic, with the Australian Republic Movement recently exchanging letters with Buckingham Palace ahead of the royal visit.
Victoria’s state premier, Jacinta Allan, was the latest leader to confirm her absence but expressed that she was “very pleased that King Charles is visiting Australia.” When asked about her views on Australia becoming a republic, she indicated that it is “something I would support, but it is not something that is a top priority for me right now.”
Her comments echo similar statements from South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas, who attributed his absence to a regional cabinet meeting, and Queensland’s Steven Miles, reportedly focusing on his election campaign.
Recent polling from the Australian Daily Telegraph suggests that around 33% of the public supports Australia becoming a republic, while 45% prefer to maintain the monarchy. The Australian Republic Movement has been vocally critical of the King’s visit, even selling merchandise that characterizes it as a “farewell tour.” Spokesman Isaac Jeffrey stated, “It’s time for Australia to elect a local to serve as our head of state. Someone who can work for Australia full time.”
In correspondence with the Republican Movement, King Charles acknowledged that whether Australia should become a republic is “a matter for the Australian public to decide.”
The King and Queen’s tour is set to last 11 days, with nine days dedicated to activities in Australia and two days allocated for travel.
