Senator who verbally abused King Charles claims she swore allegiance to Queen’s ‘hairs’ instead of heirs
Cameron Walker reports on the final day of King Charles' Royal Visit …
Lidia Thorpe claims she never broke her oath as she swore claims she swore allegiance to Queen’s ‘hairs’ instead of heirs
The Indigenous Aboriginal-born senator, who heckled the King during a speech he gave to the Australian Parliament, defenced herself after calls for her to resign as a member of the Australian senate, the upper house of parliament.
She was criticised for her outburst where she shouted: "This is not your land. You are not my King. You are not our King. F**k the colony."
More recently she has said: “I swore allegiance to the Queen’s hairs.”
Lidia Thorpe, interrupted at the end of The King’s speechKate Mansey / The TimesIf you listen close enough, it wasn’t her ‘heirs’, it was her ‘hairs’ that I was giving my allegiance to, and now that they are no longer here, I don’t know where that stands.”
The 51-year-old also faced backlash as a member of her team posted a cartoon of King Charles beheaded on her Instagram story, which she later apologised for.
She said she had no intention of resigning.
Other republican protests have taken place during the Kings first visit to the country since his Coronation in May last year.
Indigenous senator Lidia Thorpe heckled the King while he gave a speech to the Australian Parliament yesterday where she shouted anti-colonial slogans, including "You are not my King."PAA Queen Victoria statue in Sydney was vandalised with red paint following the senator's outburst.
The statue's triangular sandstone plinth was splattered in red paint on Tuesday morning before King Charles and Queen Camilla left for Samoa.
Installed in the 1980s, the 3-meter-high bronze statue, designed by Dublin-born sculptor John Hughes, depicts Queen Victoria sitting on a throne in a long gown, holding a sceptre in her right hand with a crown on her head.
The statue commemorates Queen Victoria's diamond jubilee and sits in Queen Victoria Building Plaza on the corner of George and Druitt streets.
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Australia is a Commonwealth country where the King serves as the head of state.
Reuters
Responding to the incident, New South Wales Police said: "About 5.30 am today (October 22), police were called to Queen Victoria Building, Market Street, Sydney CBD, following reports a statue had been vandalised.
"Officers attached to Sydney City Police Area Command have established a crime scene and an investigation has commenced.”
King Charles and Queen Camilla visited Sydney during their six-day royal tour of the Australia.
The royal couple walked side by side down the steps from the world-famous Sydney Opera House to greet thousands of fans waiting.
The King also met with Aboriginal elders who spoke of their sovereignty goal and desire to be heard.
A leader of the Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council, Uncle Allan Murray said: "The Union Jack was put on our land without our consent.”
Australia is a Commonwealth country where the King serves as the head of state.
PAAustralia is a Commonwealth country where the King serves as the head of state.
Australia has debated for decades whether to break from the monarchy and become a republic.
In 1999, the county held a referendum to change to a republican government, but the campaign was unsuccessful.
A second unsuccessful referendum on Indigenous recognition was held last year.
According to a poll, one in four Australians has had a more favourable view of King Charles since his inauguration.
The royals are now in Samoa and will attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).
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