"You’re Not My King" Shouted at King Charles by Australian Lawmaker in Parliament
During King Charles and Queen Camilla’s visit to Australia, an incident unfolded in the Parliament at Canberra. Following a speech by King Charles, Senator Lidia Thorpe, a vocal Aboriginal Australian politician, interrupted with cries of "You are not my King, this is not your land."
This disruption came as the King sat down on October 21. Thorpe's protest echoed allegations of "genocide" and demands for a restitution of cultural and ancestral possessions, as reported by The Telegraph. Thorpe insisted on the need for a treaty with the original inhabitants of Australia, repeating, "This is not your land."
Despite the confrontation, King Charles remained composed, and Buckingham Palace chose not to issue a comment about the incident. However, other sources from the palace highlighted the enthusiasm of the Australian crowd, expressing gratitude for the supportive reception.
Prior to this interruption, King Charles addressed the Australian Parliament praising the First Nations people, acknowledging their land, and recognizing their journey towards reconciliation.
Observers are paying close attention to how the King, who assumed his role after the passing of Queen Elizabeth on September 8, 2022, is being received. Although a republican movement expressed their desire to meet King Charles during this visit, the stance of the monarchy is to remain neutral, leaving Australia’s constitutional decisions to its people. Indeed, a recent poll highlighted a decline in republic support, noted by a drop from 39.4% in 1999 to 33% currently.
Charles and Camilla had been welcomed to the Parliament to the sound of a didgeridoo, marking their fourth day in Australia. They attended the Australian War Memorial prior to this, where Charles even engaged with an alpaca wearing a crowd-borrowed crown. As a longstanding advocate for climate change awareness, King Charles also conversed with CSIRO firefighters about managing destructive bush fires.
Earlier, SSP wrote that Florence Pugh said she’ll ‘forever be empowered’ by Andrew Garfield collaboration.