Australian Parliamentarian challenges British monarchy's authority: "You do not hold sovereignty over me"
From the back of the room, Green Senator Lidia Thorpe loudly challenged the royal duo, King Charles and Queen Camilla, by yelling, "Return our land, give back what you've taken!" As security personnel stepped in to escort her away, she made her presence known during their visit to Canberra, where they met with national leaders, including Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
During his speech, King Charles acknowledged Australia's First Nations populace, who had inhabited the land for over 230 centuries before British settlers arrived, stating:
"Throughout my existence, Australia's First Nations people have graciously shared their tales and cultures with me, profoundly shaping and enriching my experiences."
Eerily, an Aboriginal welcoming ceremony took place outside Parliament House prior to the royal couple's arrival, yet many indigenous individuals perceived their presence as unwelcome.
Their arrival brought about massacres of indigenous people at multiple locations throughout the country that persisted well into the 1930s. As a result, their descendants continue to suffer from prejudice and institutional discrimination.
Thorpe, a woman of DjabWurrung and Gunnai Gunditjmara heritage, has long advocated for a treaty and has openly expressed her opposition to the British monarchy.
To this day, Australia's indigenous population has not relinquished their sovereignty and has never entered into a treaty agreement with the British Crown, retaining its position as a Commonwealth country with the King as its Head of State.
At her 2022 swearing-in, Thorpe referred to the then-Head of State as "the colonizing Queen Elizabeth II" and was asked to repeat her oath. She did so while displaying a clenched fist in the air.
During their visit to the Australian War Memorial on Monday, protesters unfurled an Aboriginal flag, and a 62-year-old demonstrator was apprehended for disregarding police orders.
Before lambasting the King, Thorpe turned her back during the recital of "God Save the King," as reported by Australian media. Photographs showed her dressed in a possum-fur coat, standing in the opposite direction of the other attendees.
The Greens Party issued a statement, stating that the King's presence was significant to some, yet problematic for numerous First Nations people, symbolizing the ongoing colonial trauma and legacies of British colonialism.
Greens Senator Dorinda Cox, a Yamatji Noongar woman, called for the King to display unequivocal solidarity with "First Nations justice, truth-telling, and healing," suggesting that he align himself on the right side of history.
In response to Thorpe's actions, the Australian Monarchist League demanded her resignation, dubbing her demonstration as childish.
The King, his supporters, and a sneezing alpaca
King Charles and Queen Camilla traveled to Sydney last Friday, marking their first tour of a Commonwealth country since gaining the throne.
The King's first extended, multi-country sojourn since his cancer diagnosis in early 2022, his itinerary was reportedly adjusted as per medical advice.
Their Sydney visit began with an interactive session with eager supporters, which included an alpaca named Hephner, who decided to deluge the King in sneezes.
Royal fan Chloe Pailthorpe, 44, expressed her excitement at attending the royal tour and had maintained communication with the royal household since she was 10 years old.
"The royals bless local communities by shaking up our lives, and--exemplifying volunteering and community service--they inspire us," she expressed to Agence France-Presse (AFP).
A 21-gun salute signaled the King's arrival at Parliament House, and during his speech, Albanese commended the royal couple for their charitable works.
Albanese also spoke of the King's early recognition of the "grave consequences of climate change" and the imperative for humans to address this predicament with commitment.
To affirm his environmental concerns, the King was invited to plant trees at Parliament House and the Botanic Gardens.
The royal couple's next stop would be Tuesday in Sydney for a public reception amid the Opera House, prior to their departure to Samoa for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), marking the King's inaugural participation as the organization's head.
CNN's Angus Watson contributed to this report.
In the context of global politics, many Australians and First Nations advocates often question the presence of the British monarchy in Australia, given its historical implications and the ongoing struggle for sovereignty and treaty agreements.
Despite King Charles' acknowledgment of the profound impact of Australia's First Nations people on his life, his visit to Australia as the Head of State still sparked controversy and protest among some sectors of the population.
