King Charles III has arrived in Sydney for his 17th visit to Australia
King Charles III and Queen Camilla met with a young Aussie royal fan, with the trio exchanging some friendly banter moments after the historic visit kicked off.
A young South Australian boy’s dream came true when he was able to finally meet King Charles III, with the pair sharing a joke about the unpleasant rainfall at the airport.
His Majesty and Queen Camilla arrived in Sydney on Friday night to a wet but warm welcome for their first visit to a realm since taking the throne.
The King and Queen disembarked from their RAAF flight to be be welcomed by Governor-General Sam Mostyn, NSW Governor Margaret Beazley, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and NSW Premier Chris Minns and Mr Minns’ mum, Cara.
But 12-year-old Ky Exelby and his sister Charlotte caught the attention of Their Majesties.
Ky, who received a life-saving bone marrow transplant from his 18-year-old sister Charlotte, presented a posy to Queen Camilla, after requesting to the meet the royal couple through the Make-a-Wish Foundation.
Speaking after their meeting, Ky said the King made a joke about the rain saying: “The weather’s bad but it reminds me of England.”
“We spoke about the weather and he said the weather was bad but that it was ok because it reminded him of England,” the North Adelaide boy said, according to the Daily Telegraph.
“Thankfully it had stopped just before the King and Queen got off the plane.
“I thought he was lovely, very kind and nice, it was always my dream to meet him.”
Ky’s sister Charlotte said she found the King to be “delightful” and asked her about her studies.
“I’ve got my Year 12 exams coming up in physics, biology and maths, he asked me about them and said he was glad he doesn’t have to sit exams anymore,” she said.
“Camilla was also nice, she was thrilled with the flowers Ky gave her and told me she’s not a great flyer but was happy to be in Australia.”
The King looked dapper in a dark grey, pinstriped suit and umbrella, while the Queen in a royal blue dress sheltered under a clear umbrella, holding the posy presented by Ky.
After the formal welcome, the royal couple were whisked away. They are expected to meet privately with Mr Albanese and Ms Haydon at Admiralty House before beginning the formal part of the tour.
Rumours that Their Majesties would make an unscheduled appearance at Royal Randwick for the running of the Everest and King Charles III Stakes have been played down, with members of the British media ruling it out.
Instead, the royal couple are expected to rest after the long trip from the UK before undertaking their first official events on Sunday, including attending church,
Before their arrival, King Charles issued a personal message from himself and the Queen.
“Ahead of our first visit to Australia as King and Queen, we are really looking forward to returning to this beautiful country to celebrate the extraordinarily rich cultures and communities that make it so special. See you there!,” the message read.
Ahead of our first visit to Australia as King and Queen, we are really looking forward to returning to this beautiful country to celebrate the extraordinarily rich cultures and communities that make it so special. See you there!
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) October 18, 2024
- Charles R & Camilla R.
ðŸŽžï¸ Footage: British… pic.twitter.com/zALxP59lGF
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 Sydney Opera House is also being lit up with highlights of the King’s previous visits to Australia.
Meanwhile, the King’s Flag for Australia will be flown to acknowledge his role as King of Australia.
The flag reflects the shield of Commonwealth Coat of Arms and is used in the same way as the Royal Standard in the United Kingdom.
It will be flown on or outside buildings and on planes, cars and ships to signify The King’s presence.
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, the Prime Minister will welcome King Charles and Queen Camilla 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.”
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