King Charles faced a protest from independent senator Lidia Thorpe during his address at Australia’s Parliament House, marking the second day of his official engagements in the country. Thorpe, an Aboriginal Australian, interrupted the ceremony by shouting “you are not my King” and accusing the monarchy of genocide against Indigenous peoples, just as the King finished speaking and rejoined Queen Camilla on stage.
The protest lasted about a minute before security escorted Thorpe away. She asserted, “This is not your land,” emphasizing that the monarchy does not represent the Indigenous community. The incident went unmentioned as the royal couple proceeded to meet with hundreds of well-wishers who had gathered outside to greet them.
Thorpe has been a vocal advocate for a treaty between the Australian government and its Indigenous peoples, emphasizing that Australia is the only former British colony without such an agreement. Following the protest, she told the BBC that she intended to send a “clear message” to the King, arguing that true sovereignty comes from the land.
Wearing a traditional possum skin cloak, Thorpe criticized the late Queen Elizabeth II, calling her “colonizing.” Despite her protest, many others were excited to see the royals, with attendees lining up outside Parliament House, waving Australian flags. Jamie Karpas, a 20-year-old attendee, expressed enthusiasm for the royal visit, while US-Australian student CJ Adams noted the significance of the King’s role as head of state.
The royal visit was always expected to address Australia’s history with its Indigenous peoples, but Thorpe's intervention forced a more direct engagement with these issues. Earlier in the day, the King and Queen received a traditional welcome in the Great Hall, where the King spoke of his respect for Indigenous communities and their wisdom.
Buckingham Palace has not commented on Thorpe's protest but highlighted the support the royal couple received from the public. Australia continues to grapple with the question of its constitutional monarchy, with growing support for republicanism despite the government's decision to postpone a second referendum on the issue.
This visit marks King Charles's first trip to Australia since becoming king, and it is shorter than previous royal tours due to his ongoing cancer treatment. In a lighter moment, the King interacted with an alpaca wearing a crown while meeting members of the public after visiting Canberra’s war memorial. The royal couple also participated in tree planting at Government House and visited the National Bushfire Behaviour Research Laboratory.