King Charles is snubbed by Aussie politicians ahead of his visit Down Under: ‘A slap in the face’
One state will not send anyone from a senior parliamentary leadership position to welcome King Charles III on his first visit to Australia as monarch.
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan and even Deputy Prime Minister Ben Carroll will not attend the King’s welcome event in Canberra on Monday, October 21.
Ms Allan’s parliamentary secretary Nick Staikos and Governor Margaret Gardner, an outspoken Republican, will represent Victoria at the event.
However, Ms Allan, who said she will attend a Cabinet meeting that day, is not alone among state leaders in disapproval of the event as no Prime Minister is believed to be planning to attend.
Australian Monarchists League Victorian spokesperson Bev McArthur called the apparent criticism a “slap in the face” to the royal family.
“All prime ministers and ministers have sworn allegiance to our monarch, Charles III, and it is a monumental insult that they are now spitting into his hand in friendship,” she told the newspaper. Herald Sun.
“This is a historic opportunity to unite Australia, focus on charity work and give back to communities. Yet our immature politicians clearly choose to play politics.’
Opposition spokesman Brad Rowswell said he wrote a letter to Ms Allan in May urging her not to downplay the King’s visit.
King Charles III (pictured left) and Queen Camilla pose for their official Australian visit portrait
“Sometimes leadership requires putting aside personal biases for the sake of the greater good,” Rowswell said Saturday.
Victoria last year stunningly reneged on its promise to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games, despite having to pay a hefty price to host the event in Glasgow.
NSW Premier Chris Minns said he cannot attend the welcome event in Canberra due to a Cabinet meeting, but will reportedly attend other events with the King.
Queensland Premier Steven Miles said he will be busy campaigning for re-election and Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff is on a US trade mission.
South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas also has a regional cabinet meeting, while a spokesman for Western Australia Premier Roger Cook would only say he has “other commitments”.
King Charles will deliver a speech at the event in Canberra, which will be attended by prominent figures Australians from different fields such as health, arts, culture and sport.
Neither Victorian Prime Minister Jacinta Allan (pictured left) nor her deputy Ben Carroll will attend the King’s welcome ceremony in Canberra
It will be Chales’ 17th visit to Australia, but first as monarch (photo Charles in Longreach, Queensland in 20170
It will be the 75-year-old’s 17th visit to Australia and his first to a Commonwealth country since becoming king.
The importance of the trip is underlined by the fact that King Charles will stop his cancer treatment to make the journey.
He and Queen Camilla have planned a full program during the eleven-day trip, which will include a visit to Samoa, where the king will attend the meeting of the heads of government of the Commonwealth.
The couple will have about ten appointments a day, with only one day of rest.