King Charles and Queen Camilla’s royal visit proves to be the Eras tour for the Women’s Weekly crowd

It was a decades-long crescendo leading up to Charles’ first tour of Australia as King. And for his fan girls, today was the moment to let loose.

The final day of King Charles and Queen Camilla’s Australian visit has turned into Grans Gone Wild this afternoon, with thousands of “ladies of a certain age” whirling on down to catch a glimpse of the royal couple at Sydney’s iconic Opera House.

“I could’ve been Diana. I’m about a year younger than her,” said Catherine Levi, 62, who first saw the King in 1970 when he visited Townsville with his family as a teenager.

An estimated 10,000 people were expected to gather on the forecourt at Sydney Harbour as the King and Queen breezed through a meet-and-greet with the public. And inside the Opera House, the comedian Joanna Lumley was warming up to perform on her own tour.

It was clearly a huge day for the Australian Women’s Weekly crowd.

A royal tour? And that funny lady from Ab Fab? This is their Barbiemania! This is their Eras tour!

“It’s better than Taylor Swift’s Eras tour … And these are our friendship bracelets,” said Kathleen Peters, 55, referring to the mini Australian flag-on-a-stick she was wildly waving.

Her mother Marian Peter, 86, travelled down from Brisbane for the double headline act of royalty and Lumley. She even crashed the Queen’s appearance at food rescue charity OzHarvest in the inner-Sydney suburb of Surry Hills earlier in the day.

“I said, ‘Hello your majesty, I’m very pleased to meet you’. It was very exciting,” she said. “She smiled and said, ‘Nice to see you’.”

Jazz hands for the King.

Getting a decent spot around the Opera House was also more competitive than snagging tickets to Taylor’s tour. At least there was a formal system in place for those concerts. The King and Queen’s visit was a little more rock ‘n’ roll.

Margaret Favelle, 77, had to ditch her knitting group’s regular Tuesday meeting just to get down to the harbour on time.

“I usually take a 96-year-old there but I had to call and say I’m not going,” she said.

Was her knitting mate disappointed? Perhaps. But maybe it’s time to invest in a mobility scooter. After all, Prince Charming takes precedence over crocheted shawls.

The Eras tour for the Women’s Weekly crowd.

Charles meets his fan girls. Or … fan ma’ams?

Margaret is a long time royalist and she’s got an archive of memorabilia to prove it.

“I’ve got all the wedding editions of the Australian Women’s Weekly,” she said. “And I’ve got a tea towel collection of all the Jubilees.”

As the afternoon sun beat down, several women had to be escorted behind barricades for a spell in the shade and a few sips of water.

Charles and Camilla arrived around 4.30pm and ascended the steps of the Opera House, pausing occasionally to wave to the fan girls. Or … fan ma’ams?

In the mosh pit at the foot of the concrete steps, diehard fan Cath Harvey, 59, was pressed against the metal barricade. She was on a mission to meet the royal couple and had been guarding her spot since 11am after driving down from the Hunter Valley.

“I’ve served them for 30 years in the navy – queen, king and country,” she said, pointing to the ribbon of medals pinned to her chest.

In what can only be described as appropriate and tasteful, a Guy Sebastian song started blaring over the official PA speakers as Camilla approached.

Who’s dat girl dat’s walked in da club? Tell me who’s dat girl dat’s walked in da club?

Charles and Camilla were just as confused about the choice of intro music.

Cath lured Camilla over.

“Thank you for bringing so much happiness into our King’s life,” she told the Queen.

“Thank you,” Camilla replied.

And Charles wasn’t getting away. Over the screams, Cath caught his attention.

He shook her hand and asked about her medals.

“I can’t remember anything else because it’s just like OH MY GOD!” she gasped as he walked away, her voice bubbling between a laugh and a cry.

“And then the security guard almost broke my thumb so I’d stop shaking Charles’ hand.”

She turned to her friend who was filming it all on an iPhone.

“Did you get it? Did you get it? Did you get me shaking his hand??” she asked.

Nearby, royal stans Judy Scott and Margaret Cheah were kitted out in crowns, purple velvet robes and plastic rubies.

“These are the crown jewels,” Judy declared, straightening her dollar-store tiara.

Judy and Margaret decked out in their plastic rubies.

“We also have replicas of Kate and Williams engagement rings from when we went to their wedding.”

Before you ask: yes, they also travelled to London to witness the citywide fanfare of Harry and Meghan’s wedding.

Whose was better?

“Harry’s a favourite of ours,” Judy said.

Is all forgiven with him?

“There’s nothing to forgive,” she stated firmly, like a queen delivering her ruling.

After turning out for many of the royal visits over the decades, they were not going to miss Charles’ first Australian trip as King.

“This is a tour of many eras,” Judy said.

Facebook: @hellojamesweir

Originally published as King Charles and Queen Camilla’s royal visit proves to be the Eras tour for the Women’s Weekly crowd