King Charles will soon be jetting off to Australia for his first royal visit as King. Queen Camilla will accompany him, and it will be the couple’s first visit since 2018 when they opened the Commonwealth Games on the Queensland Gold Coast.
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However, there has been some unrest Down Under regarding the monarchy, this Australian anti-monarchist group even sent King Charles a gruesome birthday message. Indeed, some Australians believe that the country should become a Republic, separate from the monarchy.
According to recent polls, the country is divided on whether or not to split from the King and it has been feared that this sentiment could pose problems during the upcoming trip. New reports suggest the challenges have already started.
King Charles snubbed by state leaders
King Charles, who recently broke a tradition he followed for years, and Queen Camilla will jet off to Australia for a 6-day trip starting October 18. However, as per The Sun, several state leaders have pulled out of an engagement with His Majesty.
The King and Queen will begin their trip in Sydney and then they travel to Canberra three days later for a banquet with senior politicians. According to the tabloid, all State Premiers have been invited, but many have turned down the invitation.
Bev McArthur, spokesperson for the pro-royal Australian Monarchists League said that their rejections are a ‘slap in the face’.
All premiers and ministers have sworn allegiance to our monarch, Charles III, and it is a monumental insult that they now spit in his hand extended in friendship.
This is a historic opportunity to unite Australia, to focus on charitable work and to give back to communities.
Yet our immature politicians are clearly choosing to play politics.
Several of the state Premiers have provided excuses for not attending, Queensland Premier Steven Miles claimed he has work to do on his election campaign, while a spokesman for Western Australia’s Premier, Roger Cook, allegedly said he had ‘other commitments’.
As mentioned above, Australia is currently divided on whether they want to be a part of the monarchy, moreover, King Charles has reportedly spoken about the matter.
King Charles won’t stand in the way
As reported by The Telegraph, a recent poll by NewsCorp’s Pulse of Australia platform shows that 45% of the 1,049 Australians who responded said they want to remain a monarchy, while 33% said they wished Australia would become a republic. The poll also shows that 22% said they were unsure.
The poll is a contrast to earlier speculation that the republican wish would grow following Queen Elizabeth’s death in 2022.
Despite the recent poll, King Charles has allegedly spoken about the matter and won’t stand in the way of Australians if they wish to become independent.
As per The Sun, a spokesperson for Buckingham Palace explained that His Majesty is much like his mother and assures that the decision is to be made by ‘the Australian people’.
Like his mother before him, it has always been the case that His Majesty The King feels that it is a matter for the Australian people.
Read more:
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Sources used;
The Telegraph: ‘Australia does not want to become republic under King Charles, poll suggests’
The Sun: ‘ROYAL SNUB King Charles given ‘slap in the face’ by Australian politicians after he’s snubbed ahead of his visit Down Under’
Daily Mail: ‘Every Australian state leader gives King Charles the cold shoulder and pulls out of meeting him when he jets Down Under’
