King Charles III arrives in Australia for 17th visit
King Charles III will touch down in Australia on Friday night for his 17th visit Down Under, and his first overseas engagement since his shock cancer diagnosis.
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King Charles III will touch down in Australia on Friday evening in what is expected to be his final visit Down Under.
The King and Queen Camilla will be welcomed on their arrival in Sydney by Governor-General Sam Mostyn, NSW Governor Margaret Beazley, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and NSW Premier Chris Minns.
But 12-year-old Ky and his sister Charlotte who are likely to grab the attention of Their Majesties.
Ky will present a posy to Queen Camilla, after requesting to the meet the royal couple through the Make-a-Wish Foundation.
King Charles and Queen Camilla have events in Sydney and Canberra from October 18 to October 23, making it King Charles’ 17th visit to Australia since his first trip in 1966 at the age of 17.
The now 75-year-old monarch is battling cancer and the Australian tour will be his first overseas engagement following the shock diagnosis in April.
This has led to a shorter visit and scaled back engagements, with no engagements yet scheduled for Saturday.
But there are rumours they could attend Royal Randwick on Everest race day for the running of the King Charles III Stakes, following in the late Queen Elizabeth’s love of racing.
Australians will be able to see and potentially meet the King and Queen on Monday afternoon at 12.35pm at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra and then again from about 1pm at Parliament House, according to an itinerary for the royal couple.
On Tuesday in Sydney, Australians can spot the royal couple from 4.20pm at the Sydney Opera House forecourt.
King Charles and Queen Camilla will review the Australian war ships Arunta, Gascoyne, Hobart, Warramunga and Yarra, anchored in Sydney Harbour.
Alongside those formal occasions, the royal couple will visit the CSIRO and meet with firefighters to learn more about the centre’s work to combat bushfires, according to a statement from the Royal Household at Buckingham Palace.
“Their Majesties will tour the National Botanic Gardens, home to the largest living collection of Australian native plants in the world, where they will learn about Indigenous plant use,” the statement reads.
“They will also hear from staff and volunteers about how climate change is affecting biodiversity.
“At a library in Sydney, Her Majesty will meet children participating in a Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition workshop.
King Charles will meet Professor Georgina Long and Professor Richard Scolyer to hear about the work they do to help those affected by melanoma, one of Australia’s most common cancers.
“Her Majesty’s program will also reflect the themes of her wider work, including her passion for encouraging reading and literacy and her desire to raise awareness of domestic and family violence,” the Royal Household said.
“Her Majesty will also meet representatives of GIVIT, a charity which matches donors with those in need, of which she is Patron.”
The King and Queen will also attend a barbecue in western Sydney to sample produce from across NSW and to experience the cultural diversity of contemporary Australia.
“The King will also meet Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representatives and groups to learn about their work in supporting local community and strengthening culture,” the statement reads.
In Canberra, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will welcome King Charles to Parliament House for a reception.
The monarch ascended the throne in 2022 following the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth II.
His visit has garnered some controversy, with all state premiers snubbing the formal reception in Canberra in favour of other commitments.
Queensland Premier Steven Miles is in the midst of a state election campaign, while Victorian, NSW and South Australian premiers have cabinet meetings.
NSW Premier Chris Minns will host the King and Queen during his Sydney events.
Former soccer player and outspoken republican Craig Foster, meanwhile, rejected an invitation to meet with the King and announced his rejection in public, writing on X: “I look forward to being ‘in the presence of’ our first Aussie Head of State. When we put our big pants on, as a country.”
Originally published as King Charles III arrives in Australia for 17th visit
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