SYDNEY (AP) — King Charles III and Queen Camilla made their first public appearance during their Australian visit on Sunday. They were warmly welcomed by children outside St. Thomas’ Anglican Church in North Sydney, where Sunday school students waved Australian flags and cheered as the royal couple approached.
The visit marks Charles’ first trip to Australia as king, following the 16th visit of his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II, in 2011. This is Charles’ 17th trip to the country overall, and it comes after he formally ascended to the throne in 2022.
On their first full day in Sydney on Saturday, the couple took a break at Admiralty House, the residence of the Governor-General of Australia, Sam Mostyn. Their Sunday engagement included attending a church service, where they caught the attention of numerous onlookers and camera phones inside the building.
During the service, which was limited to the local congregation and a select few special guests like Mostyn and New South Wales state Governor Margaret Beazley, the excitement among attendees was palpable. Afterward, hundreds of admirers gathered outside the church, eager to see the couple and take photos.
While the royal couple enjoyed the warm welcome, a small group of protesters demonstrated nearby, holding a banner that read, “Empire Built on Genocide.” This reflects ongoing debates surrounding colonial history and its impact.
Later in the day, Charles and Camilla visited the New South Wales state Parliament to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Australia’s first legislature. As a gesture of goodwill, Charles presented the Parliament with an hourglass traditionally used to time lawmakers’ speeches. He remarked, “With the sands of time encouraging brevity, it just remains for me to say what a great joy it is to come to Australia for the first time as sovereign and to renew a love for this country and its people, which I have cherished for so long.”
Though excited about the visit, the royal couple’s itinerary has been abbreviated due to Charles undergoing treatment for cancer. On Monday, they are scheduled to attend a reception in Canberra, although all government leaders from Australia’s six states have declined invitations, which has been perceived by monarchists as a snub. These state leaders are republicans who favor having an Australian as head of state instead of the British monarch.
Looking ahead, King Charles will travel to Samoa on Wednesday to open the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting and continue his official duties.
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This story corrects that the king gave the hourglass; he did not receive it.
