An Australian lawmaker interrupted at the end of King Charles’ speech in Australia’s parliament on Monday, in a dramatic twist to His Majesty’s tour Down Under.
King Charles and Queen Camilla were visiting Australia’s Parliament House in Canberra for a Ceremonial Welcome and Parliamentary Reception - an event already snubbed by the country’s six State Premiers.
His Majesty’s speech acknowledged indigenous communities during a speech in the Great Hall, where he said: “Let me also say how deeply I appreciated this morning’s moving ‘Welcome to Country’ ceremony, which offers me the opportunity to pay my respects to the traditional owners of the lands on which we meet, the Ngunnawal people and all First Nations peoples who have loved and cared for this continent for sixty-five thousand years”.
But Victoria Senator, Lidia Thorpe, interrupted at the end of The King’s speech.
Lidia Thorpe, interrupted at the end of The King’s speech
Kate Mansey / The Times
She screamed at His Majesty, who watched her without much expression, angrily chanting: “You are not our King, this is not your land!”
Senator Thorpe, who is well known for similar past outbursts, was pushed out of the chamber by security guards.
Meanwhile, the Australian Monarchist League (AML) has called for the Senator to resign from Parliament with immediate effect.
The National Chairman of the pro-monarchy organisation, Philip Benwell, said: “The AML unequivocally condemn the ill-considered behaviour of this isolated senator”.
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The King and Queen looked on in stunned silence
Kate Mansey / The Times
Thorpe was then dragged out by security
Kate Mansey / The Times
“Her childish demonstration has done nothing to diminish the gratitude and pride that millions of Australians have for our country”.
The League hopes, should Senator Thorpe refuse to resign, that the President of the Senate will take action.
Outside Parliament House, thousands of well-wishers and royal fans were undeterred by the lone Senator’s outburst and some got to meet Their Majesties at the end of the parliamentary reception, hosted by Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
A royal source has told GB News: “Their Majesties were deeply touched by seeing and hearing the very many thousands who’d turned out to support them, and are only sorry they didn’t have a chance to stop and talk to every single one.”
The Australian Monarchist League called on Thorpe to resign
Kate Mansey / The Times
“The warmth and scale of the reception was truly awesome. While they are grateful to all the crowds, Their Majesties particularly enjoyed hearing individual stories of those who’d made such a special effort to be there.”
Some members of the crowd had travelled several hours for a chance to glimpse the royal couple, enduring the searing heat for a long period.
The King and Queen appeared undeterred by the small protest and continued on to other engagements as planned.
On Tuesday, King Charles and Queen Camilla are back in Sydney for the final full day of engagements.
