A VERY ROYAL SNUB: Australian Monarchists Enraged as EVERY State Premier to Boycott King Charles’ Reception in Canberra – ‘A Slap in the Face’
King Charles’ trip to Australia hasn’t even started, but the controversies are already piling up.
It has now arisen that Charles and Queen Camilla will face ‘an embarrassing snub’ by some of the most important Australian political leaders in their tour of the country.
Independent reported:
“As the couple prepares to kick off their nine-day visit Down Under on Friday (18 October), every single state premier has turned down invitations to attend their royal reception in Canberra on October 21, reports suggest.”
Charles III will deliver a speech at the event in which he will recognize Australians’ achievements in the arts, culture, sports and health.
“Victoria’s Premier Jacinta Allan is the latest representative to snub the invitation, whilst other politicians have given excuses such as ‘schedule clashes’ and ‘election campaign duties’.”
Politico reported:
“The royal will touch down in Australia this week and head to Canberra next Monday for a reception to mark his first visit to Australia since taking the throne and the first by a British monarch since 2011.
But while the prime minister will be in attendance, the powerful leaders of all six states declined their invitations, citing “other commitments” ranging from election campaigns to cabinet meetings, according to Australian media.”
The premier of Australia’s largest state of New South Wales has declared that he is to meet with the King at some other moment during the royal tour.
This has utterly enraged the Australian Monarchists League. Its spokesperson, Bev McArthur, called the state premiers’ absence a ‘slap in the face’ to the king.
“’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’, she told Australian media.”
Australia was once a collection of British colonies that federated to become an independent nation in 1901, but it remains a ‘constitutional monarchy’, with the British monarch as its head of state.
In fact, the sovereign’s position is purely symbolic, with no role in Australian governance. And it seems that Aussies may be getting fed-up with the symbolism.
But local support for an Australian republic is not overwhelming. Buckingham Palace last week wrote that ‘Australia becoming a republic is a matter for the Australian public to decide’.
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