Nicole Campos Villaran
Even before he arrived, King Charles' III five-day visit to the former British colony had reignited a fierce debate about why any Briton should inherit the right to be the official head of state of the country on the other side of the globe. The king, the first reigning British monarch to visit Australia in 13 years, addressed lawmakers and other dignitaries in the Great Hall of Parliament House in Canberra, the Australian capital.
Charles was heckled in Australia on Oct. 21 by an Indigenous senator who shouted, "You are not my king," as the British monarch finished a speech at Parliament House.
Lidia Thorpe is the senator of Australia, and she is known for voicing her views on the British monarchy. "You committed genocide against our people. Give us our land back. Give us what you stole from us: our bones, our skulls, our babies, our people." "You destroyed our land. Give us a treaty. We want a treaty in this country. You are a genocide list," shouted Thorpe. "This is not your land. You are not my king. You are not our king," she shouted as security personnel ushered her out. "Fuck the colony!"
Charles referenced the ceremony at the start of his 10-minute speech, saying he was "deeply" grateful for the gesture, which offered him a chance to pay respects to "the traditional owners of the land on which we meet."
The New York Times reported that King Charles reportedly did not react much to the criticism he received from Thorpe. While Thorpe was quickly escorted from the venue, Charles and Camilla left soon after. Later that day, Thorpe told Sky News that she did not interrupt the king's speech but "respectfully waited till the end."
Charles, who spent six months living in Australia as a teenager, acknowledged Australia's First Nations people, who inhabited the land long before the arrival of British settlers more than 230 years ago. "Throughout my life, Australia's First Nations people have done me the great honor of sharing their stories and cultures so generously," Charles said. "I can only say how much my own experience has been shaped and strengthened by such traditional wisdom."
While many in Australia have welcomed Charles' visit, which is only the second ever by a reigning British monarch, others have called for it to be the last. The Australian Republic Movement, a campaign group that advocates for an Australian to replace the British monarch as the country's official head of state, has mocked the royal visit as akin to an aging music group's final tour. Last week, the group launched a campaign calling Australians to "Wave Goodbye to Royal Reign with Monarchy: The Farewell Oz Tour!"
I thought it was interesting how Charles shared his experience, proving that he should not be compared to his relatives. He knows what they have done and accepts the fact that he cannot redo history. There is so much Charles can do to change people's minds about the royal family and himself. He understands that not everyone is going to like their presence.
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