The King and Queen rounded off their visit to Australia with roaring crowds at the Sydney Opera House today as more than 8,000 people gathered to meet them.
The couple were marking the iconic venue’s 50th anniversary year, and were greeted upon their arrival by New South Wales Premier Chris Minns and his wife Anna.
They also met Opera House chair Michael McDaniel, its chief executive Kya Blondin and performers including British actress Joanna Lumley, who has a show there.
In addition, Their Majesties posed with Sydney Harbour Bridge as a stunning backdrop and signed the visitors’ book on the main concourse of the Opera House – before emerging on the steps to massive cheers as they waved to spectators.
But it comes after the King was confronted earlier on for a second day by First Nations activists questioning the supremacy of the British monarchy in Australia.
Outside the Opera House today, Simon Perdriau, 32, from Sydney handed the King a piece of timber made from Australia blackwood and cedar from Highgrove.
Simon said: ‘He was very pleased. He said ‘thank you so much’ and asked about the course I did at Highgrove.’
The King apologised to some of the crowd for them having to wait in the sun for several hours. One said: ‘Everything was worth it to see you.’
Charles was also handed a kangaroo teddy bear and Australian flags.
Mila Gros Calica, 71, flew in from Philippines to see the King and kissed him on the hand. She said: ‘I love him so much. I will pray for him every day.’
Five year old Louie McGee-Scannell wore a crown and cloak and got to shake hands with Charles. His grandmother Michelle, 58, said: ‘Louie wants to be a King.’
The crowd sang ‘God Save The King’ and gave him three cheers. Camilla was handed five bouquets of flowers.
Jim Frecklington, a royal coach maker who is finishing a new carriage for the King, briefly spoke to Charles.
Mr Frecklington said: ‘He said ‘lovely to see you.’ I didn’t think I would see him. It was wonderful.’
Others in the crowd sported crowns and cloaks or carried signs proclaiming ‘My King’.
The Queen wore a Fiona Clare white silk crepe dress with black piping and a brooch gifted by the Royal Australian Corps of the Military Police (RACMP) who formed the party lining the way to the Admiral Hudson.
But it comes after the King was again confronted by First Nations activists earlier in the day.
When Charles met Indigenous elders during a visit to the National Centre of Indigenous Excellence (NCIE) in Sydney one told him their goal was ‘sovereignty’.
The visit came after the King was accused yesterday of ‘genocide’ against Australia’s First Nations by senator Lidia Thorpe who told him ‘You are not my King’.
After the King spoke to guests at Parliament House in Canberra, Ms Thorpe, who wore a possum skin coat and carried a traditional message stick, shouted: ‘You are not our King, you are not sovereign … you have committed genocide against our people.’
Her comments were criticised as ‘disrespectful’ by Australia’s prime minister Anthony Albanese, who attended the event, and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer defended the King, describing him as an ‘incredible ambassador’.
Elder Allan Murray from the Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council appeared to reference Senator Thorpe’s words in his Sydney greeting.
Charles nodded as he said: ‘Welcome to country. We’ve got stories to tell, and I think you witnessed that story yesterday in Canberra, but the story is unwavering and we’ve got a long way to achieve what we want to achieve and that’s our own sovereignty. But welcome to Gadigal land.’
The King stood by an outdoor fire pit for a traditional smoking ceremony with members of the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation.
He wafted cleansing smoke over himself and remembered his first visit to Australia as a 17-year-old when he studied at a remote school in the outback.
‘I was out in the bush in Victoria in 1966 trying to get the fire going was a problem because we didn’t have one of those,’ he said.
The National Centre of Indigenous Excellence (NCIE) is a not-for-profit social enterprise, which aims to build solid foundations and futures for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
He met Aunty-in-Residence NCIE and local Indigenous elder, Aunty Beryl Van Opploo who demonstrated traditional food preparation techniques.
Speaking about the senator’s protest she said: ‘Everybody has choices but I come from a different era.
‘Personally, I grew up with it and I’ve lived it. We did used to protest and did all (that) when I was younger but not in a mean way.
‘People have choices and I’ve been brought up by my elders with respect.’
In a nearby sports hall, the King was impressed with a dance performance from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander performers.
Greeting the dancers afterwards, he said: ‘That looked like a good exercise. I don’t think I can still do it at my age.’
Charles later spoke privately with several First Nations elders, Indigenous rangers of the Gamay region, and members of the Inner City Empowered Communities Group, which provides services to the local First Nations communities in Sydney.
Speaking after the visit, Mr Murray said: ‘We always long for a return of our sovereignty. We are a sovereign people, we have never signed a formal agreement or treaty.
‘The Union Jack was put on our land without our consent. We’ve been ignored. We can’t rest on our laurels.’
Asked whether he blames the King, he said: ‘It was his family that goes back to 1770. We’ve sent to the Kings and Queens asking to be recognised but have been ignored since 1770.
‘I think he listened to what I said.’
He commented about last year’s divisive referendum that saw Australians overwhelmingly reject a plan to give greater political rights to Indigenous people.
‘The King’s visit to Australia is a year after the failed referendum. There’s ill feeling in the community and our people are being violated, discriminated and displaced.’
Also today, the King and Queen flipped sausages on a barbecue when they joined locals in a park for a taste of suburban life in Sydney.
In New South Wales’ blistering sunshine, Charles and Camilla gave chefs a hand tending the snags – or sausages – grilling on the barbecue.
The King was handed some tongs and clicked them in anticipation and the Queen did the same before they set about making sure the ‘top tucker’ cooked evenly, with Charles looking after the vegetarian option and his wife the beef bangers.
Restaurant manager Scott McCoy, 42, was looking after the barbecue and said it was an ‘honour’ to have some royal helpers.
Known by his nickname Chop, he added: ‘They said the sausages were amazing, they didn’t try them but they could see.’
The 42-year-old who manages the BlackBear BBQ restaurant in Sydney said: ‘It’s amazing they’re here helping us to cook.’
In a speech to the guests, Charles said: ‘… I am so delighted to be here, in Parramatta – an excellent choice for a community barbecue, since Parramatta was a place where First Nations people from around the region also came together for generations to meet and to trade food.
‘It is a particular delight to see and smell all the ‘top tucker’ here today, from Western Sydney’s vibrant and diverse community.’
He added: ‘As we are happily rediscovering today, New South Wales farmers continue to produce truly outstanding food and wine.
‘It is no wonder, I think, that Sydney is world famous for its cuisine, whether it’s smashed avo, a pav, or a Cab Sav and that is what I hope has been on display!’
In another development today, the King launched an Australian version of his King’s Foundation charity.
Charles unveiled the plans for The King’s Foundation Australia at a special reception at Admiralty House in Sydney.
The charity’s first project will be as the custodian of the Hillview Estate in Sutton Forest, New South Wales, working to restore the historic property and its surrounding land.
The state-heritage listed former summer residence of the governor of New South Wales will serve as The King’s Foundation Australia’s permanent base and be developed as a ‘landmark cultural hub’, the charity said.
Inspiration has been taken from the regeneration of Dumfries House – an 18th century mansion in Ayrshire, Scotland, which now acts as The King’s Foundation’s headquarters after it was saved for the nation in 2007 by a consortium led by Charles as the Prince of Wales.
The King set up his original foundation, previously called The Prince’s Foundation, to train the next generation of skilled craftspeople – including in building, carpentry, fashion and textiles – in heritage techniques essential to many traditional industries.
Practical education and training programmes in traditional and heritage craft will also be developed at Hillview.
Kristina Murrin, the Australian-born chief executive of The King’s Foundation, said the new foundation was a sign of Charles’s affection for Australia.
The King is carrying out his first royal tour to the country as its monarch, but his inaugural visit hit the headlines on Monday when Australian senator Lidia Thorpe heckled Charles after his speech in Canberra, accusing him of ‘genocide’ against her nation’s Indigenous people.
Ms Murrin said: ‘Establishing a permanent presence for The King’s Foundation here is testament to His Majesty’s affection for Australia and commitment to extending the reach of the sustainable communities work undertaken by The King’s Foundation elsewhere in the world.
‘Dumfries House has been transformative for the local community and has pioneered nature-based learning for young people and adults alike, as well as placing traditional skills at the heart of the practical education courses offered across the estate.
‘It is an exciting prospect to have the opportunity to apply what we have learnt since Dumfries House was saved for the nation in 2007 to the Hillview Estate.’
Dominic Richards, chairman of The King’s Foundation Australia, said: ‘His Majesty’s vision of a world in harmony with nature is more relevant now than ever.
‘As an Australian who personally benefited from The King’s Foundation’s education programmes 30 years ago, I am excited to see this work extend its transformative approach to communities in Australia.
‘Following the model established by His Majesty at Dumfries House, we hope to create a similar positive impact by providing employment and educational opportunities.’
Hillview came on to the market – with a long-term government leasehold – for the first time in 24 years in December 2023, with a guide price of 7.5 million Australian dollars (£3.8 million), according to the Australian Financial Review (AFR).
The foundation said the charity has signed a long-term lease and the property remains in the ownership of the New South Wales government.
The 1870s-built residence at Old Illawarra Highway, Sutton Forest, was previously known as ‘Prospect’.
It is ‘the most exclusive’ highland estate and was a vice-regal summer retreat for 16 consecutive NSW governors between 1882 and 1957, offering them ‘a place to escape the Sydney summer’, the AFR said.
The NSW government’s Heritage Register listed the house – which had 38 habitable rooms including 27 bedrooms – and its 60-hectare estate as of ‘exceptional significance to the people of New South Wales as the former country home of the governors of New South Wales’ for 75 years.
The government sold it in 1958 to eccentric builder and land developer Edwin Klein, who relandscaped the gardens, often at night, working by torchlight, but left the house mostly untouched.
He later gifted Hillview back to the government on the condition that he was given tenancy for the rest of his life.
It was later run as a boutique hotel and wedding venue.
The King’s Foundation Australia will build on existing sustainable community projects carried out by Charles’s charities in the country over the years.
