King Charles III and Queen Camilla have arrived in Australia for a significant trip that marks the monarch’s first official trip to the country since the passing of Queen Elizabeth II.
The trip not only represents an important occasion in the royal schedule, but is also seen as his first major tour since the revelation of his cancer diagnosis earlier this year.
It is also the first time Charles and Camilla have visited Australia since 2018, when they took part in the opening of the Commonwealth Games.
Photos of King Charles and Queen Camilla in Australia
The royal couple arrived in Australia on October 18 and are scheduled to visit until Saturday, October 26. Upon arrival, they enjoyed a day of rest to adjust to jet lag, a factor that especially affects Queen Camilla.
The trip has been greeted with great expectation, given the context of recent developments in the British royal family.
Upon arrival, the King and Queen were welcomed by the Governor-General of Australia, Sam Mostyn, as well as the Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese.
One of the most memorable moments of the arrival was when images of King Charles and Queen Camilla were projected onto the iconic Sydney Opera House.
Queen Camilla dazzled in a royal blue silk crepe gown designed by Fiona Clare and a symbolic Australian brooch, part of the late Queen Elizabeth II’s collection.
The couple’s first public engagement took place on Sunday, October 20 at St. Thomas Anglican Church in Sydney.
In addition, during a reception at Sydney’s Parliament House to celebrate the bicentennial of the legislature, King Charles presented an hourglass to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the New South Wales Parliament.
The itinerary then took them to Canberra, where they visited Parliament, where they were received by senior officials, ministers, and members of the judiciary.
On October 21, during this segment of their visit, the King and Queen paid tribute at the Australian War Memorial, laying a floral tribute at the Tomb of the Unknown Australian Soldier. In addition, they also paid a visit to the Australian National Botanic Gardens.
On October 22, the couple returned to Sydney, participating in a community barbecue at Parramatta Park, where King Charles was in charge of cooking sausages.
Earlier in the day, the monarch visited the Melanoma Institute of Australia, where he met with renowned cancer researchers, and toured the helmet-equipped Homes NSW Cowper Street residential complex.
Queen Camilla, meanwhile, spent time exploring the Green Square Library in Sydney.
Despite facing protests, such as cries of “You are not our king” during his stay in Canberra, the King was warmly received by indigenous leaders in Sydney, evidencing the complex relationship between the monarchy and the native peoples.
Finally, before ending their visit to Australia, the couple posed for photographs in front of the iconic Sydney Opera House, with the Sydney Harbour Bridge in the background, marking a poignant end to their stay in the country, before departing for their next destination: Samoa.
