King Charles’ royal Australian tour LIVE updates: Greens leader’s shocking tirade against His Majesty and Queen Camilla as she vows to snub royal couple in Canberra
King Charles and Queen Camilla are set to enjoy an action-packed day in Canberra on Monday as they visit the nation’s capital on their tour of Australia.
The Royals touched down in Australia on Friday evening and have already enjoyed time in Sydney over the weekend where they met countless fans.
The King and Queen will fly into Canberra just before midday on Monday for a whopping 17 official engagements.
They will visit the Australian War Memorial and will also take a stroll through the Australian National Botanic Gardens as part of their visit to the city.
Follow Daily Mail Australia’s live coverage of King Charles and Queen Camilla’s time in Canberra here.
Greens’ shocking response to King Charles and Queen Camilla’s royal visit
Greens deputy leader Mehreen Faruqi vowed to snub King Charles and Queen Camilla saying she would sit out of the parliamentary reception on Monday.
‘The monarchy symbolises an era that should be left behind for good, not celebrated,’ she said.
‘It will come as no surprise that I will not be participating in any pomp and ceremony celebrating the monarchy, but I’d be happy to go to the airport to wish them a final goodbye in the hope that this is the last time the crown visits this country as rulers.
‘Preserving the British monarchy is to preserve white supremacy and the systemic racist structures that were built by the Empire and persist today.’
Ms Faruqi is among several Australians unhappy with the visit from the royal couple.
Local republicans argue it is time to farewell the monarchy, and Indigenous rights groups lament it as a reminder of Australia’s dark colonial past.
Placard-brandishing protesters gathered and royalists faced off near St Thomas’ Church in North Sydney ahead of the service attended by the King and Queen on Sunday.
Pro-Palestine protesters and Indigenous rights activists unfurled Banners reading ‘decolonise’ and ’empire built on genocide’.
There were also chants of ‘Always Was, Always Will be, Aboriginal Land’.
In response to a request to meet from the Australian Republican Movement earlier this year, the King said the decision to become a republic rested with the Australian people.
It has been 25 years since Australia last held a vote on becoming a republic.
King Charles and Queen Camilla touch down in Canberra
The royals landed in the nation’s capital at about 11.50am on Monday to loud cheers and applause.
Charles and Camilla will travel to the Australian War Memorial from the airport where they will meet members of the public.
The pair met Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles upon arrival and Ngunnawal Elder Serena Williams for a smoking ceremony.
Charles and Camilla waved to the crowd on several occasions who erupted in cheers and applause.
Teenage fan, 16, travels from Brisbane with a bouquet of flowers for Queen Camilla – as school children wait patiently to meet the royals
Ardent royalist Joshua Ladhams, 16, of Brisbane travelled down especially to see the King and Queen, and bought blue flowers particularly for Camilla.
‘Well they’re purple really but hopefully she’ll see them and come over,’ the schoolboy said as he hung over the barrier in the Parliament House forecourt.
Joshua said he believed Charles and Camilla had done ‘a lot for the royal family and they’ve stood the test of time’.
Meet the royal superfan hoping to meet King Charles for a SECOND time this week
Lynton Martin, from Melbourne, has travelled far and wide to get a glimpse of the King.
Mr Martin was lucky enough to meet King Charles on Sunday during his visit to a church in North Sydney, and is hoping he’ll get another chance to chat with the monarch in Canberra on Monday.
‘Hopefully I get to see him again,’ he told the ABC.
‘It’s a great opportunity to welcome the King to Australia and make sure he feels very much at home.’
Mr Martin isn’t hard to spot, donning a Union Jack-themed suit with a matching bow-tie and crown.
He made the journey up from Melbourne to Sydney for the visit and made sure to stop by the nation’s capital on his way home.
Mr Martin also travelled to the UK for the King’s Coronation last year, and credits his love for the royals to his grandmother who was ‘very fond’ of the Queen.
Aussies line up for their chance to meet the King and Queen in Canberra
Thousands of Aussies have turned out to catch a glimpse of the King and Queen during their royal visit to Canberra on Monday.
One man even bizarrely brought his pet llama, dressed in a tuxedo and gold crown, with him for the royal occasion.
A heavy police presence was also seen at Parliament House early on Monday.
Mum and her three kids drive overnight from Victoria to meet the King and Queen
Excitement is building at the Parliament House forecourt where soldiers from the Australian Army are setting up cannons to fire for the official welcome of King Charles and Queen Camilla.
Six cannons have been towed in by truck and are being set up on Parliament’s front lawn.
As the queue of excited onlookers snaked down the road, one family had made an extra effort to greet the King and Queen.
Claire Liistro and her three children drove overnight from Victoria’s Yarra Valley, bringing crowns bought from Big W.
Ms Liistro said she believed Charles and Camilla ‘have stepped up to their roles’.
‘I’d have queued for a week if it had been the Queen (Elizabeth) but yeah, Charlie is doing okay,’ she said.
‘I just love everything royal.’
Asked what he would say to the royal couple if they approached him, Ms Liistro’s son Dillon said he would ask for the ‘real crown jewels’ and tell the King to ‘avoid the crocs’.
Ms Liistro said her family had even made a massive cardboard cut-out of the King to put next to the TV while watching the Coronation.
Pictured is Claire Liistro with her children Dillon, Sienna and Aidan. Dillon holds a photo of his grandfather Michael, who did not make the trip, saying ‘g’day’ to the King.
King Charles leaves Admiralty House
King Charles was spotted leaving Admiralty House at Kirribilli, on Sydney’s lower north shore, on Monday morning.
The monarch waved to passersby from the back of the vehicle while Queen Camilla sat in the front.
King Charles was wearing a blue suit and appeared to be in high spirits.
King Charles spends less than 10 minutes at lunch held in his honour
King Charles III spent only 10 minutes at a lunch held in his honour on Sunday before leaving.
He delivered a speech at NSW’s Parliament House where he gifted an hourglass.
His Majesty only briefly stayed at the lunch that was held aftewards.
The menu comprised of chargrilled asparagus and olive dust, marinated octopus and squid ink wafer, barramundi and duck confit.
King Charles is currently being treated for cancer – which has led to the scaling down of his itinerary while he is visiting Australia.
The 75-year-old has previously visited the country 16 times – and will only be travelling around NSW and Canberra during his visit.
King Charles receives a very Australian gift from a local
King Charles was given a very Australian gift while visiting St Thomas’ Anglican Church in North Sydney on Sunday morning.
Bondi Smokehouse owner Christian Gilles was among the hundreds of fans who had turned up to greet His Majesty and Queen Camilla.
Mr Gilles offered King Charles a packet of kangaroo jerky – a gift the monarch happily accepted.
Footage captured the heartwarming interaction.
‘That’s for you and your wife,’ Mr Gilles told the King.
‘Oh kangaroo, that’s very nice,’ King Charles replied.
Some photos from the King and Queen’s time in Australia so far
How to see the King and Queen in Canberra on Monday
King Charles and Queen Camilla will be greeting crowds from 12.35pm at Canberra’s Australian War Memorial.
Those wishing to see Their Majesties are urged to arrive no later than 11.45am for security screening and to avoid road closures.
Visitors will have another chance to see the King and Queen later at Parliament House.
Royal fans should arrive no later than 12.10pm.
King Charles and Queen Camilla’s Australian supporters drown out chants from anti-monarchy protesters
A small group of anti-monarchy protesters had gathered outside the St Thomas’ Anglican Church in North Sydney on Sunday morning for the Royal visit.
They gathered under a large ‘decolonise’ banner around 100 metres away but they failed to spoil the joyful mood.
The protesters used a megaphone to shout their support for indigenous rights and waved Palestinian and Lebanon flags.
A handful of locals shouted ‘get lost’ and ‘get a life’ in frustration as they walked past, while one man told them: ‘Be thankful you live in a free society where you can argue across the street.’
Fans waiting inside the church grounds to shake hands with the King and Queen described the ongoing republican debate as a ‘bore’.
After the King and Queen arrived, the protestors were drowned out by shouts of ‘hip hip hooray’ and blocked from sight by hundreds of camera phones held aloft.
King Charles and Queen Camilla’s warm welcome in Sydney as they arrived at St Thomas’ Anglican Church
The King and Queen were warmly welcomed in Sydney on their visit to St Thomas’ Anglican Church on Sunday.
Handed armfuls of flowers, toy koalas and even some kangaroo jerky, the couple were repeatedly thanked for making the long journey over, particularly in light of His Majesty’s on-going cancer treatment.
Fans waiting inside the church grounds – including dozens of Sunday school children – were thrilled to shake hands with the King and Queen, while others described the ongoing republican debate as a ‘bore’.
Afterwards one child delightedly shouted ‘I touched the King!’. ‘It was so good, he was so kind,’ said another little girl.
Stepping outside the church to loud cheers from the hundreds gathered on the lawn opposite the church, the King waved before walking over to speak to members of the public.
Some well-wishers said they had begun queuing at 5am to get a prime spot to see the couple, with others in the crowd flying in from other parts of Australia especially.
King Charles and Queen Camilla to touch down in Canberra on Monday
King Charles and Queen Camilla will spend just one day in the nation’s capital on Monday where they are expected to be greeted by thousands of fans.
During their time in Canberra, the Royals will visit the Australian War Memorial where they will lay a wreath at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier where The Last Post will be played before a minute of silence.
The pair will separate to attend different events but will both take a stroll through the National Botanic Gardens later on Monday afternoon.
King Charles is expected to give a speech at 1pm before he will be able to meet those who gathered to see the Royal visit.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will also hold a reception for Charles and Camilla inside the Great Hall at Parliament House.
Charles will visit the CSIRO National Bushfire Research Centre to meet with firefighters and scientists.
The Queen will meanwhile partake in a roundtable on the issue of domestic violence.
Charles and Camilla have official engagements in Sydney on Tuesday before returning to the UK.
Key Updates
King Charles and Queen Camilla touch down in Canberra
Greens’ shocking response to King Charles and Queen Camilla’s royal visit
King Charles and Queen Camilla to touch down in Canberra on Monday
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King Charles’ royal Australian tour LIVE updates: Greens leader’s shocking tirade against His Majesty and Queen Camilla as she vows to snub royal couple in Canberra