The claims Prince Harry made in his explosive memoir Spare have surprised many around the world. However, the claims are now being used against the Royal Family by some people in Australia, where some groups want to remove King Charles as Head of State.
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Removing King Charles as Head of State
As monarch and head of the Commonwealth, King Charles is the Head of State in many countries. However, in recent years, more and more countries are removing British monarchs as their Head of State. It would seem that Australia is the next country that could remove King Charles.
The Reserve Bank of Australia has already announced that King Charles will not appear on the new $5 bills and will instead be replaced to reflect the ‘culture and history’ of Indigenous Australians, as reported by BBC.
Australia is removing the British monarchy from its bank notes. The nation’s central bank said Thursday its new $5 bill would feature an Indigenous design rather than an image of King Charles III https://t.co/Gn3Y38hy5upic.twitter.com/h9LUdLr0P0
— TIME (@TIME) February 2, 2023
Read more:The Queen: These commonwealth countries could replace her as Head of State
Now, it is reported that Australia will vote in order to decide whether or not the country will become a republic or stay under Britain’s rule. Anthony Albanese, the Australian Prime Minister, has given Labour Party MP, Matt Thistlethwaite, the responsibility of overseeing the procedure.
Philip Benwell, National Chair of the Australian Monarchist League, told Express:
We are preparing for a referendum in 2025. We feel the Government may go as early as that.
Using Prince Harry’s claims
The campaigners who are pushing to remove King Charles as Head of State are using the claims Prince Harry has made against the Royal Family to further their cause.
Sandy Biar, National Director and CEO of the Australian Republic Movement, explained to Express that the claims are being used to show that the Royal Family are dysfunctional:
We can do better than inheriting our Head of State from a dysfunctional family on the other side of the planet.
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However, Benwell said that the anti-monarchists' campaign isn't ‘getting them very far’ and that in general, the Royal Family is still very popular in Australia:
[Republicans] pounced on the comment Harry made in regard to racism, which he's since retracted. But it's not gaining any headway.
Royal visits are always popular in this country. When the current Prince of Wales came the crowds that came out were enormous, far greater than for almost anyone else.
Benwell also explained that King Charles cannot just decide for himself if he wants to visit Australia, he has to be invited by the government:
Whether the King is able to visit will depend on the Australian government because neither the King nor the Prince of Wales can visit without an invitation by the government.
Sources used:
Express: ‘Prince Harry's 'attacks' on Royal Family are being 'exploited' by republicans in Australia’
Express: ‘Australians will vote on ditching King Charles 'as early as 2025', monarchist says’
BBC: ‘King Charles will not appear on new Australia $5 note’
